A Million Kisses
by Alicia Blade
Summary: Serena discovers Darien's love for her moments before death claims him, along with her closest friends. Now, the power of the Silver Crystal has returned their lives to them, but it's up to her to reclaim their love as well.
1. If You Come Back to Me

A Million Kisses - Chapter One  
Alicia Blade 

March 2005 ANs: 

At seven chapters and just under a hundred single-spaced pages, this is the longest of all my older fics. I believe it was also the last multi-parter that I wrote before disappearing. I hope you'll enjoy it, because this one was always a lot of fun for me and I put a lot of myself into it, more so than usual. You may also notice some strong differences between this and my other fics (especially in the later chapters); I hope these will sit well with you all!

Thanks, as always, for your kind reviews. Don't be shy.

I wish you all the best in inspiration, romance, and friendship! 

...

Original ANs:

Alrighty, to fans of the incredible Moon Klutz, this might seem quite familiar. If you REALLY want an explanation of why, email one of us and we'll tell ya what happened. But it's not important, so don't fret too much, k? Enjoy! 

BTW: This takes place after 'Sailor V Makes the Scene', however, Tuxie's mask didn't fly off, so his identity is still concealed, and also, Zoicite was killed by the scouts. So, basically, no meeting at Starlight Tower, no Silver Crystal, but all 5 scouts. Oh, and Darien never got injured on the shoulder. 

_"'Sing for joy and be glad, O daughter of Zion; for behold I am coming and I will dwell in your midst,' declares the Lord."  
_ - Zechariah 2:10 

...

A Million Kisses  
Chapter One: If You Come Back to Me

...

"I'm telling you, he was WAY cute!" said Lita, closing her eyes dreamily. "And I just KNOW he was smiling at ME. He had these eyes you would not believe! They looked like my old boyfriend's eyes now that I think of it. But he really was super cute."

"Sure he was. You know, Lita, to you, every other guy you pass on the street is way cute! I bet you even think DARIEN'S cute!" Serena managed to choke out. 

"Well, actually…" 

"HEY! You cannot tell me that you think that brain-dead creep is cute!" 

"Think about it Serena. I know you hate the guy, but with those eyes and that dark black hair…" said Raye. 

"…And that quirky smile…" added Mina. 

"And the nice body," finished Amy with a sigh, much to everyone's surprise. 

"Oh no, not you too, Amy! You guys all make me sick! How can you possibly think that that… that… JERK is cute! Traitors!" 

"Serena, come on, think about it. Sure, he might tease you and torture you and try to make your life miserable, but would you rather have any other guy treat you so horribly? At least he talks to you!" 

"And makes me feel stupid every time he opens his mouth." 

"And he actually pays attention to you." 

"Though I wish he didn't." 

"And he LOOKS at you with those gorgeous eyes." 

Serena sighed. "I don't know what you guys are trying to pull, but it's NOT working! Darien is a conceited jerk, and nothing else. Sure, he might be a LITTLE cute, but…" 

"A LITTLE?" cried Lita. "You're telling me that you have never gotten lost in those deep cerulean eyes?" 

"Well, okay, he's KIND of cute…" 

"Kind of?" interjected Raye. "So that smile couldn't make you faint on contact?" 

"Fine! He's PRETTY cute…" 

"Pretty cute?" interrupted Mina. "You're saying your hand doesn't itch to play in that ebony hair every time you see him?" 

"Ugh! I guess he IS cute…" 

"Cute?" said Amy. "And you have never caught yourself dreaming about him or kissing him or being wrapped in those strong arms?" 

"FINE! I GET YOUR POINT! He's hot, okay? Darien should be a freaking super model! He is the most handsome man I have ever seen in my life! OKAY! Are you happy! DARIEN IS TOTALLY, UTTERLY GORGEOUS, OKAY!" 

"Gee, Meatball Head, never knew you felt that way about me." 

Serena froze dead in her tracks and slowly turned around. She didn't notice when they had passed by the tall man with dark hair a few moments ago, and no one noticed when he started following them. 

Serena stared at him now with nothing to say. Chewing on her lip, she began stuttering, before finally finding her anger. "Shut up Darien! Just shut up! I DON'T feel that way about you, I feel NOTHING for you except maybe hatred! You are annoying and mean and heartless and totally, utterly…" 

"Gorgeous?" he finished with a laugh. 

"Stupid," she replied icily. He simply chuckled some more and strolled closer to her, lessening the space between them until he was less than a foot in front of her. She felt like backing away, but something, maybe pride or maybe that excited twisting feeling in the pit of her stomach, kept her from doing so. With a gentle finger and a careless smirk, he lifted her chin so that she was trapped looking up into his deep blue eyes. 

"If you say so, Meatball Head." With a bit-wider smile, he winked at her before brushing past her and continuing down the busy sidewalk. 

Serena couldn't keep her heart still. It continued to thump wildly as she watched him walking away, that calm composure of his driving her crazy. Finally, she managed to seek out her voice and yelled, "WHAT ON EARTH IS THAT SUPPOSED TO MEAN! YOU'RE CRAZY, DARIEN! YOU'RE INSANE! STUPID, TOO! AND STOP CALLING ME MEATBALL HEAD!" 

All five of the girls watched him until he was nearly out of sight. They could still see his black hair bobbing above the shorter people in the crowd. Raye sighed and shook her head. 

"You are SO lucky, Serena." 

Serena said nothing but simply concentrated on ignoring the beating of her heart. Then, an unexpected roar came from behind them. It was very loud, and extremely frightening as well. Serena, her eyes still glued on Darien, barely heard it. She watched as Darien turned around sharply at the sound, and this in turn, made her snap back to reality. She spun around to notice a large, blue monster standing in the middle of the street. She screamed and started to back away. 

_Wait a minute, I'm Sailor Moon!_ With that though, she immediately started searching for a hiding place to transform, but the street was crowded and no matter where she searched, she couldn't find a single place to hide. With scared eyes, she turned back to her friends. They had all noticed the predicament as well. 

"I think I see a place over there!" yelled Lita, pointing to a small opening between the buildings, possibly to an alley. They all started jogging toward the place, but the frenzied crowd circled around them and Serena was cut off from the group. Her eyes lost contact with her friends. Turning around blindly, she only noticed bright colors falling all around as the crowd's energy was drained. Cupping her hands to her mouth, she suddenly felt very frightened and helpless. 

_I'm the champion of justice! I should be fighting this evil, not cowering from it._ She watched as a group of women fell simultaneously, the heavy beams of light from the youma having scorched them. 

"Oh no…" She glanced around to see that nearly everyone had fallen. She had been spared so far, though she knew the beast was beginning to pick off any stragglers. She finally looked up to see it aiming an attack for her. She braced herself, clenching her fists and taking a deep breath. She closed her eyes tightly just as the deadly beams soared toward her. 

"SERENA!" She heard a familiar voice scream. A voice she wasn't even sure knew her real name up until that moment. She felt something crash into her, though it wasn't negaverse energy. Falling harshly to the pavement, she looked up to see Darien above her, breathing heavily. 

"Darien?" she asked weakly. Slowly, he opened his eyes. They glimmered with pain, but he somehow managed to force a weak smile. With that simple action, she broke into tears. "Oh, Darien, wha… what were you thinking? Oh, Darien, are you okay? Tell me you're okay, please!" 

He looked down on her tear stained face and smiled a bit more, a little less forced this time. "It's okay, Meatball Head. I'm okay, see?" He reached up a hand to gently stroke away some tears as if to prove his point. Serena just shook her head and buried her face in his shirt. 

Finally pulling away, she looked up at him, that same weak smile lingering on his lips. _She's crying for me,_ he thought as he looked down on her. 

"Dear Darien," she whispered. "It'll be okay, you'll see. We'll get you a doctor and everything will be fine. And you can call me Meatball Head all you like. And I'll never hit you with test papers or shoes ever again! Just don't die!" She once again started sobbing. 

"Hey, ssshhhh… Calm down, Serena. Stop crying, okay? I'm fine. Trust me, I've been through worse than this." 

Serena smiled weakly and wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him down on top of her. "Yes, it'll be okay. You're not hurt too bad. Everything will be just fine," she whispered comfortingly. Opening her eyes, she saw the scouts battling the monster. It was strong, she noted. They were having a tough time winning. She watched as it struck at Venus. Mina screamed and collapsed to her knees in pain.

Mars tried her attack, but nothing happened. She screamed just as a fireball came soaring toward her from the monster's antenna. Throwing her arms protectively in front of her, she braced herself. Serena realized it was in vain as Mars was thrown back to collide with the brick side of a building. Shuddering, Serena buried her face into Darien's hair. She had to help them, but she couldn't leave Darien. 

"Serena," she heard him whisper. She loosened her hold and looked up into his eyes. They were filled with pain. 

"Oh, Darien," she whispered, her voice filled with concern. 

"Serena… I'm sorry." 

"For what, Darien? You didn't do…" 

"For teasing you." 

"Wha…?" 

"I'm sorry. I never meant to hurt you, please understand that." 

"Of course I understand. But don't talk like that, Darien. You'll be okay. I'll take good care of you and you'll be healed in no time." 

He smiled down at her again and lightly ran a hand through her thick blonde bangs. "You really are beautiful," he whispered mindlessly. 

Serena giggled a little. "Now you're hallucinating." 

He smiled at her once more and shook his head. "No. I always thought you were beautiful. My gorgeous Meatball Head." 

Serena's eyes were once again filling with tears. "Darien, you talk like you're not going to be okay." 

Darien simply smiled at her and rested his forehead on hers. He could feel her long eyelashes brushing against his skin. Then a scream was heard from behind him. With all of his strength, he pushed himself onto his elbows and twisted his head around. Serena peered over his arm, her fingers clutched to the front of his jacket. What she saw chilled her blood. 

All four scouts had fallen. Jupiter, sitting with her back against a wall and her knees clutched to her chest, managed the strength to hold up her pen. "Jupiter Power!" she called. 

Mars was lying on her side, her leg appeared to have been broken and blood crawled down her calf. Weakly holding up her pen, she shouted, "Mars Power!" 

Mercury was on her hands and knees, her blue hair falling messily over her face. In a very painful action, she pushed herself back to a kneeling position and held up her pen. "Mercury Power!" 

Venus had fallen on her stomach. She coughed raggedly attempting to roll over to her back. Giving up, she simply held the pen out to her side and yelled, "Venus Power!" 

Four colored beams collected together and went hurling toward the monster. At first, it only screamed, but then it fell to its knees and threw its hands in the air before disintegrating into a pile of dust. 

Serena breathed a sigh of relief, but it soon turned to horror when she noticed that none of her friends were getting up. In a flash of pink, a white-haired man wearing the uniform of a dark kingdom general appeared and mockingly stared down at the scouts. 

"How does it feel, you wimpy sailor twits? Now you will receive the same fate you delivered to Zoicite! None of you will survive!" 

He held out a ball of black energy, preparing to send it toward Jupiter and Mars who lay not far from each other. 

"NO!" Serena screamed, catching Malachite off guard. He turned to see a small blonde girl laying on the pavement. A tall man with dark hair covered most of her body with his. 

Darien tensed under the general's gaze and pulled Serena closer to him. _Where is Sailor Moon?_ he wondered silently. 

_Where is Tuxedo Mask?_ Serena thought to herself. _Surely he would have come by now, wouldn't he?_

Malachite laughed a deep, evil laugh. "So lover boy thinks he can protect his girlfriend. Usually, I don't attack civilians, it makes me look mean, but you," he pointed to Serena. Darien tensed more above her, "ruined my concentration!" 

With a howl, he hurled a ball of energy toward them. Darien threw his body protectively over Serena once more, much to her protesting. He threw his neck back in agony when the weapon came in contact with his back, and then slumped down, his energy spent. 

Satisfied, Malachite turned back to the scouts, ignoring Serena's whimpering. 

"Darien? Darien, are you alright? Answer me!" 

Darien opened his eyes slowly to look down upon Serena's shivering body. "I… don't think I can stay awake much longer," he whispered, unconsciousness calling to him. 

"No!" Serena whispered harshly. "Don't say that, Darien. You're going to be fine. You're strong, right? You can do this! Just stay with me. Just look at my eyes, okay?" 

Darien did as she asked. "I could look in your eyes forever. So beautiful. I always loved your eyes, even though they only glared at me. I used to get jealous when you would always look at Andrew with those eyes, and you would smile and bat your eyelashes… I always wondered what it would be like if you looked at me like that, just once…" 

Serena didn't try to keep back the sobs. "Oh, Darien, I DID look at you like that. Every time you would walk away I would watch you go. Oh Darien, don't talk like this! You're going to be fine!" 

"I wish I could be as sure as you Serena." 

"Don't talk. Save your energy." 

"No, listen. I have to tell you this, and I don't know if I'll ever get another chance." 

"Of course you'll get ano…" 

"Serena!" He spoke harshly. He sighed at her surprised face. "You're so stubborn." 

Serena smiled weakly. "I'm sorry…" 

"No, I'm sorry. I'm sorry I was always so mean to you. I'm sorry I wasn't nice to you like I should have been. Like I wanted to be. But whenever you were around, I would lose all thought, and just say whatever came to mind. But I never wanted to hurt you. I don't think you're dumb or lazy or air-headed. I think you are the most wonderful, talented, enchanting girl I have ever met. And I… I love you. I always have, even if I never showed it." 

Serena gulped and sobbed some more. "Darien…" she whimpered. He put a finger to her lips, rubbing it softly over them. 

"Serena, I always wondered… what it would be like… to kiss you. Just once… I used to dream about sweeping you into my arms and kissing you over and over, and never letting any other guy even lay eyes on you. I think I dreamed about that more than anything else. You were always on my mind. Your lovely eyes, and innocent smile… Serena… could I kiss you? Just once?" 

Serena let the tears roll down her cheeks as she looked into his azure eyes. "Darien, if you live, I'll give you a million kisses. Just don't leave me." 

Darien smiled weakly, still running his finger over her trembling lip. "A million kisses… I would like that. But I only ask for one…" 

Removing his finger, he slowly lowered his face to hers. Wetting his lips slightly, he kissed her tenderly, softly laying butterfly kisses on her tempting lips. Deepening the kiss, he tasted her and savored the taste he had dreamt of since the first moment he had laid eyes on her. Serena trembled under his touch and tears slid from underneath her closed lids. She allowed him her kisses without the slightest protest and felt light-headed when his lips lingered on hers. She sensed his patience. His desire to move slowly, to not scare her. She felt his arms slowly wrap tighter around her, his fingers delicately tracing the hem of her shirt. He began to deepen his the kiss when she gave no sign of objection. Serena gasped slightly when she felt his lips part her mouth and his tongue lightly probe her own. And still, she gave no signal for him to stop, but continued to supply his access to her willing mouth. But despite her compliance, Darien had detected the tiniest signal of uneasiness and slowly pulled away, leaving both of them dazed. Licking his lips, he looked down on her peaceful face. It almost seemed as if she were sleeping. Her lips were still parted and her eyes closed, the remains of tears still left on her cheeks, though no more continued to fall. Nervously, she opened her eyes. He smiled, the pain just now filtering back into his memory. 

"Thank you," was all that he said before he closed his eyes once more and let his head collapse onto her chest. 

It took Serena a moment to gather her thoughts, but when she did, she immediately noticed the lack of breath in Darien. With shaking hands, she lifted his head. "Darien? Darien, wake up. Don't… don't do this, Darien. Darien, NO! This isn't funny. Wake up! Open your eyes! Please, just look at me, please! Darien, don't leave me…" She tested for a pulse at his throat and found none. She searched for any sign of life or movement, without result. "This can't be happening! This can't be! We'll get you to a doctor. I'll take care of you. DARIEN!" She broke down and cried into his shirt, her body shaking with the pain of a broken heart and the feeling that she had just lost the most important and wonderful thing she'd ever had. "I love you. Don't you see? I love you. You can't go, not now. You can't leave me like this. No…" 

Serena was ignorant to yet another tear sliding down her cheek. She only noticed when it began to glow a bright white. It was blinding to everyone else, but to her it was comforting as it bathed her in its warm rays. She watched as two brightly colored crystals came out of Darien's jacket and combined with the tear, and another five flew from Malachite to combine with it now as well. The general stared wide-eyed at the sight. Serena stood up, shaking, as the crystals formed together into one silver stone. It attached itself to her moon wand and memories of a long forgotten past filtered into her. Memories of a graceful lady, reigning over a palace with a strong, yet gentle hand. Friends who would always protect her. A man who looked familiar, and who she loved. A man she would have married, had the peace not been shattered. A man she used to love, does love, and always would love. A man she would not let die. Not again. 

The light faded away to show a beautiful princess where the scared teenager had just been. Princess Serenity looked around her. Strangers were strewn all around, most not hurt seriously, though five people she DID know were fading away. Sailor Mars did not have enough strength to open her eyes even to the bidding of her princess. Venus simply stared awestruck for a minute, the faint glimmer of hope in her eyes fading as her head crashed to the pavement below her. Mercury gathered the power to whisper, "Princess…" before losing all strength and collapsing lifeless to the street in which she lay. Jupiter muttered breathlessly, "We're sorry we can't help more." Her head lolled over to her shoulder before falling forward on her chest. 

Darien was lying on his side below where Princess Serenity stood. In the back of her head, she thought she heard him whisper, "I always loved you, Meatball Head, even if I didn't show it." 

Serena clenched her fist around the wand and held it up above her head. "You will not get away with this! I will avenge the deaths of my friends, of my mother, and of my love! Moon Cosmic Power!" 

Malachite chuckled softly and held his hands in front of him, gathering his power into another black ball of energy. "So the measly girl thinks she can destroy me? Ha! Try this!" The ball hurled toward her, expanding as it came closer to devouring her. However, the light of the crystal countered it. Malachite looked on, shocked, as the crystal's power exceeded his own. Throwing his hands in front of his face, he yelled in pain as the light washed over him. "This can't be! How can this child have… so… much power…!" With a last howl, he collapsed to the ground before crumbling into a pile of dust. 

Serena transformed back to her civilian self and collapsed to her knees. Her last conscious thought as she looked longingly at Darien was, _If you survive, I promise I will give you a million kisses._

... 

Serena felt an aching in her head. Groggily, she opened one dull blue eye, allowing blinding white light to flood her senses. She quickly closed it again and fell back into darkness. From somewhere in the room, she heard a small giggle. "Good morning, sunshine." She turned her head to the side and opened both eyes this time. They focused on a short girl with light brown hair. She wore a white suit with small pink stripes and what looked to be a fast food restaurant hat. She walked over to Serena and took hold of her hand. "How are you feeling?" 

"Terrible," answered Serena truthfully. The girl laughed a little more. 

"I'm not surprised. You've got quite the bump on the head there. You've been out of it for a good 24 hours since they brought you here." 

"Who's they?" 

"The paramedics. Do you remember what happened?" 

Serena closed her eyes and concentrated. All too soon, she remembered everything. _DARIEN!_ She jerked her eyes open. 

"Where is he?" she all but screamed at the startled girl. 

"Who?" 

"Darien!" 

"I'm sorry, I don't know who you are talking about…" 

"He was right next to me when I passed out. I know he was!" 

"Please, calm down. There were a lot of people around you on the street. I hear that a monster of some sort took their energy and you were one of them…" 

"Yes, I know that, but this man was hurt worse than any of them." 

"I can't tell you for sure, but after you've had something to eat, you are welcome to look for him. All of the victims of the creature are in this section of the hospital, so he shouldn't be far…" 

Serena choked down the food faster then she'd ever eaten, miraculously, and threw on the robe handed to her by the young candy striper. After thanking her, she ventured out into the hospital. 

Serena fell, depressed, into the seat, her head falling into her hands. After hours of traveling around the hospital, she had lost any hope of finding Darien or her friends. No one knew about them, and no one seemed to care.

'They're probably sitting in a morgue somewhere,' thought Serena as tears welled up in her eyes. 'I lost him. I lost him before I even really had him. Dear Darien… my prince… my love…' She sobbed more, her eyes throbbing as she made no attempt to stop the flow of tears. She had come to the lobby of the hospital. Doctors and nurses hurried to meet a patient, people cried, people smiled, patients just now stepped out of wheel chairs, mothers carried their newborn infants. 

Suddenly, shouting emitted from the entrance and a handful of men ran through the doors, leading a gurney between them. Immediately, a group of doctors ran to meet the new arrival as it was wheeled down the hall. Curiously, Serena stood as the crowd ran past her and her jaw dropped. 

"Lita…" she whispered. She watched, stunned, as the body disappeared down the hall. No doubt about it, the patient had been Lita. Her face was bruised and bloody and the pieces of clothing Serena had caught a glimpse of were torn. After her heart had once again started beating, Serena ran down the hall after them. When she reached the door they had gone through, a nurse stepped in front of her. 

"I'm sorry miss, you can't go in there." 

"Oh, but please, I have to see…" 

"It's against regulations." 

"But…" 

"I'm sorry, you'll simply have to wait." 

Serena gulped and nodded her head. "Can you tell me what happened to her though?" 

The man looked down into her quivering blue eyes and felt his heart melt. With a sigh, he said, "She was in a street fight earlier today. She is the only known survivor."

Serena gasped. Slowly, she turned on her heels and walked away. When she came to a bench, she collapsed onto.

"A street fight? But how can that be? Lita hasn't been in a fight for months. And besides, after yesterday's attack, she never would have been strong enough to fight. This doesn't make any sense."

"Excuse me, miss, but can I help you?" asked a familiar, soft voice. Serena snapped her head up to see Amy smiling down at her.

"Amy!" she yelled andn launched herself into the quiet girl, hugging her tightly. Amy was stunned at first, but slowly hugged her back.

"I… I'm sorry Miss, but how is it you know my name?" Amy asked.

Serena pulled away slowly to see nothing but confusion in Amy's eyes.

"Wha… what do you mean? Amy, don't you recognize me?"

Amy stared at her for a bit, but slowly, recognition dawned over her gentle features. "Oh, yes… uh, Serena, is it? You are in my Language class. I'm sorry I didn't recognize you at first, but you look different without your hair up like usual."

Serena stared at her silently for a minute. "La… language class? Oh, yes, of course." _She doesn't remember me… she doesn't remember about the sailor scouts or anything…_

"So why are you here?" asked Amy, taking note of Serena's hospital robe.

"Huh? Oh, I was, uh, in the youma attack yesterday."

"Youma? What's that? Oh, you must mean the horrible monster over on Pike Street yesterday afternoon. I heard about that on the news. I'm terribly sorry you had to go through that. It must have been awful."

_The news? Amy, you were THERE!_

"Yeah, it certainly wasn't fun." Serena sighed. "So, why are you here?"

"My mother works here and I often come here after school to study until she gets off."

"I see. Well, Amy, it was nice talking to you, but I have some things I need to think about now. If you'll excuse me…" Serena brushed past her and began heading back to her room.

"Good bye, Serena. I'll see you at school."

"Yeah. See ya."

Serena stumbled blindly into the elevator and mindlessly pushed the 'close door' button. _This is way weird,_ she thought. _How come she doesn't remember me? And why doesn't anyone remember being at the battle yesterday? It's almost like they were never scouts._

Looking up, Serena noticed she wasn't alone in the elevator. A girl with long black hair and violet eyes was standing silently besider her. In her hands she held a bouquet of flowers. Her eyes were wet and Serena saw that she had been crying. _I've never seen Raye cry,_ she thought. _Hmm… evidently she doesn't remember me either, or else she would have said something._

Clearing her throat, she asked, "I don't mean to be rude, but who are the flowers for?"

Raye looked over at her briefly, before returning her eyes to watch the numbers light up as the elevator rose. "My grandpa."

_Oh no! What's wrong with him? What happened?_ "Can I ask what he's in here for?"

Raye shrugged and looked down. Serena wasn't used to seeing her so sad and quiet. Usually she would have been yelling at her for being such a busy-body by now. "Have you heard of those awful attacks by ugly beasts around the city?"

"Yeah, I was in one the other day."

Raye looked up at her in surprise. "Oh, well, then you know what I'm talking about. One happened at my grandpa's temple about a week ago. Some witch was there and she said she wanted a rainbow crystal or something. And then she hurt my grandpa, and since no one was there to protect him, his heart couldn't take it and now… now…"

Raye broke down crying and Serena wrapped a friendly arm around her.

"Now he's in a coma," finished Raye through her sobs.

"It's okay. I'm sure everything will be fine, you'll see."

The bell dinged and the doors to the elevator opened.

Raye wiped the tears away with her sleeve and looked back at Serena.

"Thank you, I guess," and then she walked out. The doors closed behind her and Serena fell against the wall.

"That's not right. Raye, YOU were there to protect your grandpa. You kept Zoicite off until the rest of us could arrive. None of this makes any sense!"

The bell dinged again and Serena walked out into the hall identical to all the rest. Keeping her eyes glued to the numbers above the doors, she watched for her own room number. From inside one, she heard a small voice yell, "Sailor V! Is it really you?"

Serena froze in her steps and backtracked. Looking through a window, she saw Mina in her original Sailor V outfit bending over a little girl with a broken arm.

"Yup, kiddo, it's me. How are you feeling?"

"I'm great! Hey, could you sign my cast for me?"

"Sure thing! Hey, I love the color you chose," said Mina, admiring the orange cast.

"It's my favorite because it's yours too."

"Sure is." Mina signed the cast _Sailor V._ Patting the girl's head, she asked, "So what is the V for?"

"Victory!" The little girl cheered. Mina smiled and gave her a hug. "That's right. Now I want you to take good care of yourself, alright?"

"Okay!"

Mina smiled at her again and walked out, shutting the door behind her. She nearly rammed into Serena on her way out.

"Oh, excuse me," she said.

"Sailor V?" Serena asked. _But Mina gave up on show business when she became a real Sailor Scout._

"Yes?" asked Mina, turning around. "Oh, hello there. How are you?"

"I'm... okay. You?"

Mina laughed. "A little tired, but fine. Can I help you? Get you an autograph?"

Serena looked at her, a little stunned. _Autograph? Mina, I'm your friend, I don't need an autograph!_ "No, thanks."

"Oh, well, okay. I'm really sorry, but I have to go meet with my agent before I visit some more kids…"

"Do you come to the hospital often to visit them?" 

"Yup, it seems to cheer them up, seeing their favorite action hero and all." 

"I can imagine," said Serena, remembering all the times kids had looked so hopeful and joyous when she would come to save the day. "That's sweet of you."

"I try. Well, I really have to go now. See ya!"

"Bye." Mina held up her signature V sign and bounced off happily.

After she had gone, Serena fell against a wall and slid down until she was crouched with her knees to her chest. "Mina, not you too. Why doesn't any one remember me? I can't do this alone. I need you guys. I need you as scouts and as friends. What's wrong with you?"

Serena cried for a long time before finally regaining the strength to stand and continue toward her hospital room. Through one of the windows, something made her stop. Walking backwards with her mouth agape, she stood in the doorway. Was it? Could it be?

"Darien?" she whispered.

He was sound asleep in the hospital's all-white bed. His black hair was falling messily over his closed eyes; eyes that Serena knew were a dark blue. He looked lonely lying there asleep. Beeps and hums emitted from every corner and a small television set was playing the evening news with very bad reception. His face had a bruise on one cheek and a bandage was wrapped tightly around his head. With tears in her eyes, Serena walked in slowly to kneel beside him. With a shaking hand, she held his, bringing it to her lips to gently kiss his palm. She put her head down on his hand, allowing tears to fall into his sheets.

"Darien… you came back to me…" she whispered. Slowly, she laid butterfly kisses on every one of his fingers, always keeping her eyes glued to his sleeping features. She reached up a hand to push some bangs aside. He was so handsome, even when he was injured and sleeping. She imagined what it would be like to hear his voice.

_Hey Meatball Head. Going to the arcade to dull your mind on some video games?_

She smiled crookedly. "You WERE very mean, Darien. But I still couldn't help falling in love with you. I guess it was because you were nice to everyone else, and so I did see how you could be so kind and friendly, even if it wasn't to me. But I forgive you. A thousand times I forgive you. Besides, I love you. How could I not have fallen in love with you? Dear Darien…"

She broke down crying, her head falling onto the bed and golden pools of hair falling in waves all around her. 

A weak, gentle hand stroked through her hair, causing her body to tingle and her heart race. She looked up to see Darien looking at her curiously. His eyelids were drowsy as he looked at the beautiful girl before him. Shocked, Serena stood, surprising Darien with her quick movements.

Darien found himself staring at a young woman, dresses all in white. She had soft golden hair falling down her back and over her shoulders. Blue eyes glimmered at him with hope and love. With the bright fluorescent lights and the painkillers given to him earlier, how could he not have made the following simple mistake?

"Are you an angel?"

Serena stared at him silently for a moment. Finally, she caught her voice. Sitting down on the bed beside him, she asked quietly, "Darien, don't you remember me?"

He only looked on blankly and Serena felt her heart sink.

_Please, if anyone remembers me, let it be him._

"Angel?" he repeated.

Serena smiled weakly. With a sigh and a shaking of her head, she closed her eyes and leaned forward so that her head rested on his chest. He didn't move at first, but soon instinctively wrapped his arms around her. She sighed again as he stroked his hand through her hair, content for the moment just to be in his arms.

"How many times have I dreamed of you holding me? And you told me that you used to dream of kissing me. If only we hadn't been so stubborn, Darien." 

"Angel?" he whispered, obviously not understanding her. Serena smiled and backed away. With a finger, she lightly traced his jaw line and ran her hand through his thick hair. Returning her eyes to meet his, she whispered,

"No, Darien, I'm not an angel. I'm a princess. And you will always be my prince." She leaned forward so that their noses lightly brushed against each other's. "And someday you will remember me. Then I promise I will give you a million kisses. Though I only ask for one."

She kissed him gently, and only deepened it when she felt him responding. However, she was not as daring as he had been and soon pulled away. With a small peck on his lips once more, she turned and left the room. Darien opened his eyes to see he was alone once more. With drowsy eyes and thoughts, he let sleep pull him back to her clutches, and dreamt of a beautiful, golden-haired angel. 

Serena collapsed sobbing onto the hard mattress and wished she was lying back in HIS room, in HIS arms. But he didn't remember her. No one remembered her.

"Serenity, my daughter, how you have grown."

"Mother?" she asked weakly. 

"Yes, it is me."

"Where are you? Why can't I see you?"

"You can, child. Just try."

Serena closed her eyes and concentrated. When they opened, she nearly fainted. Queen Serenity was a beautiful lady, no doubt. She had silver hair that fell from two silver balls on either side of her head. A white dress fit her hourglass figure like a second skin and pale blue eyes sparkled and smiled with her soft pink lips.

"Now you see me, my daughter. Oh, my precious Serenity. You are even more beautiful than I remember. Always so full of life and joy. But my dear daughter, why are you crying? All of your friends are alive. They are not dead on that street as you earlier believed. Is that not reason to celebrate?"

"Oh, mother, it is wonderful that they're alive, but… but… they don't remember me. They don't remember at all, about the Silver Millenium or being Sailor Scouts. I don't know what to do. I can't fight all of this evil without them! I'm not strong enough! Oh mother, what am I going to do? Please help me…"

"Shush, my daughter, do not cry. Everything will be fine, as you shall see. You killed Queen Beryl's most powerful general yesterday, and it shall take awhile for the dark forces to regain such strong warriors. Do not worry about fighting just yet. Concentrate on your friends, and on your love. I do believe Endymion is called Darien these days?"

Serena sighed at his name. "Yes. My dear Darien, if only he would remember me, none of this would hurt so much."

"It's alright, dearest. Now listen to me, and perhaps I can answer some questions for you."

"Mother, why don't they remember me?" 

"Sweet Serenity, before you fainted after the battle, do you recall making a wish?"

Serena scrunched her brow in thought. "Not… really. I remember thinking, 'If you survive, I promise I will give you a million kisses,' or something like that. And he did survive, Mother, but now I can't kiss him. If only he could hold me and whisper things to me… it's all that I want, but no one remembers…"

"Honey, you have just answered your own question."

"Huh?"

"You see, when you promised him a million kisses, the silver crystal interpreted it as being a wish. And so, being a part of you, the crystal looked into your heart to see what it was you most desired. When it saw your love for your friends and your desire to let them live, it granted the wish."

"But then, why don't they remember?"

"Because you did not put your whole heart into the wish, the crystal couldn't grant it completely. And so, live they did; however, parts of their lives and memories have been erased, from everyone's minds except yours. This includes their memories and any signs that they were ever scouts. They are living their lives now as if they had never heard of the Negaverse, or the Sailor Scouts."

Serena sighed. "Or me."

"Now, my dear Serenity, don't give up hope. Their memories can be revived."

"How, Mother? How? I'll do anything!"

"I'm afraid there's nothing you can do. When their hearts and minds are ready to remember, they will."

"Mother, what do you mean? There has to be something I can do."

"Take this opportunity to start over with them. Befriend them, and let Darien fall in love with you again."

"Oh, but mother, I'm so weak. I'm so tired of these games. Why can't anything ever come easy?" 

"My darling, nobody ever said true love and friendship would come easy."

Serena sighed. "I understand. And it will be worth it in the end. I suppose."

"Of course it will be. And now, my darling child, I must go. Remember, I will always be watching over you. You are in my heart, as I am in yours."

"Good bye, Mother. I love you."

"And I, you, my little Serenity." The queen faded into a pale blue light the color of her eyes, and, in a flash of white, she was gone.

Serena opened her eyes to be met with yet another candy striper bustling around her room in a way-too-hyper fashion. Sitting up, she realized the lady was cleaning.

"Oh, good morning! I'm so glad you're up! Great news. You are being released today. As soon as you're ready, you can be out of here. We just need your signature on a few things. We also need your parents to sign a few things. They were called in this morning and should be here soon. We're sorry they couldn't be here earlier, but it was very hard for us to track them down, given the only identification you had was a handkerchief with your school name on it."

"Oh, I understa…"

"Serena? Oh, my baby! How are you? We were worried sick! Are you okay? Is there anything I can get for you, sweetie? Anything at all?"

Serena returned her mother's hug gratefully. _At least someone remembers me!_

"No, Mom, I'm fine, thanks."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah."

"Oh, sweetie!" Her father came running in and bombarded her with a hug as well.

She smiled at them.

"It's good to see you guys."

"Oh, dear, we were so worried, we thought something might have happened, we couldn't sleep, we must have called Molly a million times to see if you were over there! Oh sweetie, I'm so glad you're okay!" Her father sobbed. Serena smiled weakly.

"Thanks, guys, but I'm fine, really. It's okay now."

"Yes, you're fine. But I'm sure you'll be even better once we take you out to your favorite ice cream parlor!"

"That's sounds great. But… I have to visit some friends first, okay? I'll come home when I'm done."

Ken and Ilene looked at their daughter strangely. "Honey… are you sure? Don't you want to come home first? You can always come back, and besides, this is ice cream!"

She laughed. "Yeah, I'm sure. This is important. Please? I'll be home in a couple hours, I promise."

Ilene held her daughter's hand. "Well… I guess… if that's what you want to do…"

"It is. Don't worry!"

Ilene smiled and hugged Serena again. "Okay, honey. We'll see you in a little while then. First we have to sign some papers."

"Thanks, Mommy. I'll come home later, alright?"

"Sure, sweetie. Your father and I will give you some rest now."

"Okay."

Serena sighed as her parents left the room uncertainly, before tossing her legs over the side of the bed and throwing a robe on over her hospital outfit. Walking to the mirror, she quickly managed in tying her hair up in the 'meatballs' before rubbing some color into her cheeks. Forcing a smile, she backed up to stare at her reflection.

_Take this opportunity to start over with them. Befriend them, and let Darien fall in love with you again._

"I can do that, Mother," she whispered before slowly heading out of the room. 


	2. If I Forget, Will You Forgive Me?

A Million Kisses - Chapter Two  
Alicia Blade 

...

March 2005 ANs: 

_.sniffles._ **First Love** has officially come to an end. Please join me in a moment of silence. I loved that site and all of the authors and webmistresses who contributed to it over the years. Though it had fallen into a tragic state of disrepair the last couple years, we shall miss it dearly. 

...

Original ANs:

Hi Minna-chan! Glad you all are enjoying this one so far! Please keep those emails coming, okay? Thanks also for your comments on Kiss Me, Kate was very happy! Not many AN's this time around, though I would like to give a HUGE thanks to Moon Klutz and Lady Starra for prereading for me, as well as Scutter, possibly the nicest person I know for taking his time to write my html files for me. You have no idea how much I appreciate it! 

_"He will settle arguments between the nations. They will pound their swords and their spears into rakes and shovels; they will never make war or attack one another. People of Israel, let's live by the light of the Lord."_  
Isaiah 2:4-5

...

Chapter Two  
If I Forget, Will You Forgive Me?

"I'm telling you, Andrew, she was an angel! Why don't you believe me!"

"Dare, you took a really hard blow to the head. Illusions are very common with this type of injury."

Darien rolled his eyes, leaning back into the pillows. "I can't believe that you think I was seeing things."

"Darien, I want to believe you. It's just that angels from Heaven don't hang out in hospitals making men fall in love with them. It was probably a dream."

"It was NOT a dream! Dreams aren't that warm or soft. They don't smell like roses and spring air. They don't taste like sugar…" he whispered dazedly.

"Taste! So now you're saying you ATE the angel."

"Ugh! No, I didn't eat her! She kissed me, you moron!"

Andrew sighed, sitting down on the bed beside Darien. "Oh, she kissed you, did she?"

"Yes. She kissed me."

Nodding, Andrew turned to look out of the nearby window. "What did she look like again?" 

"Beautiful. She had pale skin and bright blue eyes and golden hair that fell to her ankles…" 

"And she said that she was an angel?" 

"No, _I_ said she was an angel. I think she said something about being a princess?" 

Holding back a chuckle, Andrew looked at him from the corner of his eye. "That's it. I'm telling them to cut back on your medication." 

Smacking his head against the pillow, Darien groaned agitatedly. 

Serena cleared her throat from the doorway. Both men turned to look at the shy girl, hiding half way around the corner, her head poking in nervously. Darien's jaw dropped. Andrew's raised an eyebrow. 

"Hey Serena!" 

She smiled slightly. "Hi Andrew. Hello Darien. How… how are you feeling?" she asked quietly, walking into the room to sit on his side, opposite from Andrew. 

Ignoring her question, Darien sat straight up in the bed, reaching for her hands to hold between his. "It… it's you! Andrew, it's her, the angel!" 

The hope in Serena's eyes faded away. _So he doesn't remember after all…_

Andrew watched on in amusement. _Serena? Serena was this angel of his?_

"Um… Darien, what are you talking about? This is Serena. Remember, Meatball He…" 

"Andrew, I need to talk to you for a minute," interrupted Serena. 

"Huh?" 

She turned back to Darien, smiling slightly. "I'll be back in a moment, okay?" 

His confused blue eyes darted between hers. Slowly, he nodded. "Anything you ask, Angel." 

Giggling, she stood, holding onto his hand for as long as she could before leaving the room, Andrew on her heels. Darien watched her go sadly, curious, and his heart beating faster than he believed possible. 

... 

"What is it, Serena?" 

Serena leaned against the wall, forcing tears back from her eyes. 

"Andrew… I… oh, it's awful!" 

"Hey, calm down. It's alright, you can tell me. What is it? What's wrong?" 

Gulping, she turned to face him, her eyes red from the constant tears. "He… Darien… doesn't remember me." 

"What do you mean? The doctors didn't say anything about him having amnesia." 

She sighed, closing her eyes. "That might be because… I'm the ONLY thing he can't remember." 

"What? That doesn't make any sense." 

"I know… but… Andrew, you saw! Yesterday when I was wandering around the hospital he saw me and… and now he thinks I'm an angel. And he doesn't remember anything about the teasing or name-calling and… he doesn't remember me at all…" Her head hung as tears once again began falling down her cheeks. Gasping, Andrew stepped forward, wrapping her in comforting arms. 

"Ah, don't cry. It's okay, I'm sure he'll remember. Besides… shouldn't you be ecstatic that he'll leave you alone now?" 

Sobbing, Serena shook her head. "There's more, Andrew." Pulling away, she swiped her eyes with a sleeve. Staring at the tiled floor, she began to tell Andrew about the other day, when she was walking down the street. She told him about the monster and Darien protecting her. She told him about the kiss and the vows of love. Leaving out only the information of the sailor scouts and memories of the Silver Millenium. He listened in awe as she told her heart-aching story. When she had finished, he stepped forward again and took her into his embrace, gently stroking her back. Her arms wrapped around him as well as her tears soaked into his shirt. 

"He told me he loved me, Andrew. He told me he loved me… And now he can't even remember my name…" 

"It's alright, Serena. I promise everything will be okay," he whispered. 

_So, Darien and Serena were in love all that time? Figures. I knew there was something between them. And now… oh, poor Serena. I can't imagine how heartbroken she must be. Maybe… maybe I can help._

"Don't worry Serena. I'll help you, okay?" 

"Huh?" Slowly, Serena pulled away to look up into friendly, dark brown eyes. 

"I'll help you get Darien back. I promise… Besides, true love cannot be conquered by a little case of amnesia. And to me it looks like he's already in love with you again! Everything will be okay, you'll see." 

With an unsteady smile, Serena buried her head in his shirt again. "Thank you, Andrew," she whispered. 

Darien gulped, forcing the tears back. Turning, he walked slowly back to his bed and sat down, pulling the blankets up to his chest. 

To himself, he whispered, "Is… is the angel in love with Andrew?" Closing his eyes, he prayed that it wasn't true. But all he could think of was how closely his best friend had held the girl of his dreams. Jealously boiled unwelcome through his veins. 

... 

Serena gulped, walking slowly into the well-lit room. She hadn't had much time to talk to Darien before a nurse had ushered her out, proclaiming that he needed rest. Really, all she'd been able to do was introduce herself as Serena, a friend of Andrew's. 

Now she was onto her next mission. 

Lita was still on her bed, turned to her side and facing away from Serena. Shakily, she walked in and around to the other side of the bed. It looked as though Lita was sleeping. With a sigh, Serena turned and found a vase. Filling it with water, she placed the bouquet of orchids she had bought in the gift shop into it. 

"Who are you!" asked an angry voice. 

Startled, Serena jumped and spun around. Lita was propped up on one elbow, glaring at her. She gulped. Lita had never looked at her like that before. 

"He… hello, I'm Serena." 

There was a silence as Lita cruelly sized her up with her eyes. 

"Um… I brought you some flowers. I… hope you like them…" 

'Orchids WERE your favorite before…' 

"What are you doing here?" 

Chewing on her lower lip, Serena edged toward her, pulling a chair up to sit beside the bed. Lita didn't flinch or move in any way, her eyes following Serena's every movement. 

"I came to help cheer you up." 

"Are you another one of those ditzy hospital volunteer goody-two- shoes?" she asked with a sting in her voice. 

Forcing a small smile, Serena shook her head. "No. I just… thought that you might want someone to talk to, that's a…" 

"I don't NEED therapy, if that's what you're talking about! I don't need anyone!" 

Pulling back, Serena stared at her with wide eyes. "I didn't mean…" 

"Did you know that every one of my friends died in that stupid fight the other day? Every one of them! And now you're here because YOU think I need someone to talk to! Leave me alone! Unless you know what it's like to lose everyone you care for in one day, I don't want you here!" 

Her heart beat slowing down, Serena settled more comfortably into the chair. "But you see, I DO know how you feel. I lost all of my friends in the monster attack the other day." 

Lita was silent for a minute, her eyes never leaving Serena's friendly gaze. Ever so slowly, her stare began to soften. "You… did?" 

"Yeah. I was the only… survivor also. I even lost the love of my life…" _Almost…_

Lita gasped, easing into a sitting position. "Really? I…" She paused for a minute, her eyes wandering over Serena's frail form. "I suppose that maybe I owe you an apology then." 

"Don't worry about it. You didn't know. Um… I was wondering if… maybe, you wanted to become friends?" Serena said, forcing a smile. 

Lita raised an eyebrow. "Do you know who you're talking to, girly? You and I could never get along together!" 

"Why? What do you mean?" 

Laughing loudly, Lita turned her gaze up to the ceiling. "Come on, look at you! You're so puny and innocent! I'm a gang member! I live off the streets. I get money and food from pounding people like you to a pulp!" 

Serena couldn't help but smile. "Well… you can't be a gang member without a gang, can you?" 

Lita ceased laughing and an eerie silence draped over the room. Turning her head, she eyed Serena speculatively. Finally, she asked, "Wh…why aren't you afraid of me?" 

"Why? Should I be?" Serena whispered back. 

... 

_ "Hey, you're lunch looks really good!" said a voice from behind me. Turning, I looked into two azure eyes, peering over my shoulder into the lunch I had made that morning. "Can I have some?" the strange girl asked. _

"Huh? Aren't you afraid of me?" I asked in surprise. Surely she knew who I was by now, with all of these rumors going around the school. 

She gasped, stepping back a little and looking me straight in the eye. "Why? Should I be?"

... 

"Hey, are you okay?" Serena asked. 

Shaking her head, Lita turned her eyes back to her. 

_Where did THAT come from?_

"Yeah… I'm fine. Um… do you… really want to be friends?" 

Serena grinned. "Of course!" 

Returning the smile, Lita stuck her hand out. "Well then, hi! I'm Lita!" 

Shaking her hand, Serena replied happily, "And I'm Serena. It's a pleasure to meet you!" 

... 

"Mi… er… Sailor V, wait up!" Serena called down the white hallway, jogging to catch up with the sailor-suited movie star. Mina turned around to see Serena running up and politely stopped to wait. Upon reaching her, Serena stopped and bent over, leaning her hands on her knees to catch her breath. "S… Sailor V… H… Hi!" 

Mina giggled slightly. "Hi! Was that all?" 

Looking up, Serena smiled as a laugh escaped her lips. Gulping, she adjusted her posture and straightening out her clothes. "No, not… not exactly." 

"Oh? Well then, what can I do for ya?" 

"Um… well… I was just thinking… um… how would you like to get some lunch with me? You see, I'm a huge fan, and it would mean so much! I mean, if you're busy, I understand, but I was just hoping that maybe…" Her blue eyes raised to hers hopefully, waiting for a response. 

Mina smiled ironically. She was awfully busy today. Normally she wouldn't have a problem with taking a fan to lunch, but fitting it into her schedule could be difficult. 

She cleared her throat, forcing a kind smile. "Well, I'd love to, but…" 

...

"Sailor V? Is it really you!" asked the girl with blonde pigtails, dressed in a similar sailor outfit, staring at me wide-eyed. We were both gasping for breath from the recent battle, our cheeks rosy pink.

I smiled at her, already feeling an incredible friendship bursting up as I looked into her innocent blue eyes. "Ta-DA! In person!" I exclaimed happily. She laughed. 

"Oh, this is so wicked cool! I am your BIGGEST fan! We're going to be the best of friends, I just know it!" 

... 

"Um… but… I get to pick the restaurant!" she exclaimed, threading her arm through Serena's. 

_That was strange,_ she thought, looking at the bubbly girl from the corner of her eye. _But, for some reason, so familiar. And this girl... she sure does remind me of someone. But who?_

After that, she began planning her apologies to her agent. 

... 

"How is he, Andrew?" asked Serena, stepping into the quiet room. Looking up from his newspaper, Andrew made eye contact with the girl and smiled. 

"He's doing a lot better. They say he might be released sometime this week." 

She sighed happily, walking up to his bed and carefully sitting down beside him. "I miss him." 

"I can understand why." After a moment of silence, Andrew stood up. "Do you want me to leave you two alone?" 

Serena turned around to look at him, holding onto Darien's hand gently. Uncertainly, she nodded. With a smile, Andrew left the room, closing the door behind him. 

Turning back to Darien, Serena reached up and brushed some hair away from his face. The bandage had been removed from his head, revealing a dark scar on his temple that she hoped would heal in time. 

"Darien…" she rolled the name across her tongue, silently adding, _I love you._ She couldn't think of anything else to say at the moment, and only sat staring at him as he slept peacefully away. Chewing on her lip, she closed her eyes, leaning forward to barely brush her lips across his. He stirred, but his eyes remained closed. Licking her lips, with her eyes still shut, she pulled her legs onto the bed and laid down beside him. She could only imagine how embarrassed she would be if he woke up then, but she knew that she didn't really care. Gently, she pulled down the covers beneath her, before once again pulling them up to cover her shoulders. Tossing her arm over his stomach, she snuggled closer to him, wrapping her leg around his and listening to the sound of his heartbeat as it lulled her into a quiet slumber. 

...

Darien awoke to the sweet scent of a spring breeze. He could feel a gentle warmth pressed up to his side and unconsciously wrapped his arm tighter around whatever, or whoever, slept next to him. Turning his head, he slowly opened his eyes. They were met with a head of golden blonde hair spread across his chest. Tilting his head to the side, he looked down upon a sleeping angelic face, pink lips pulled up in a soft smile and black eyelashes fluttering over pale cheeks. 

His breathing caught in his throat as he struggled to think. He froze, trying to hold perfectly still as not to wake her, or move her in any way. Unfortunately, his lungs soon began to hurt as he refused even to breathe. After a moment, he turned his head to the side in a fit of coughs. Covering his mouth with his hand, he tried not to shake too much, in vain. 

Serena was startled awake by the sound of coughing above her. Looking up, she saw Darien covering his mouth as he choked on the air. Gasping, she sat up. 

"Are you alright?" 

The coughing fit stopped and he looked up at her sadly. "Sorry, I was trying not to wake you." 

They stared at each other for a moment. Soon, Serena's eyes fell and she looked at their position, and remembered falling asleep next to him, their bodies entwined together. Gasping, her hands flew to her mouth and she jumped out of the bed. 

"Oh, I'm so sorry! I… I guess I thought I would leave before you woke up and… oh! Sorry! I'll be going now…" Turning on her heels, she started to walk out of the room, but was stopped by a strong grip on her wrist. Turning, she saw that Darien was sitting up in the bed, holding onto her fiercely. 

"Wait! You don't have to go, I mean… please? Please don't leave just yet. We haven't had the time to talk really…" 

She removed her eyes from his, looking down to the floor as a blush covered her cheeks. "But… I shouldn't be here. I shouldn't have… I'm sorry…" 

Darien forced a small, breathless chuckle. "Hey, don't worry about it. I don't mind waking up next to an angel." 

Serena giggled slightly, raising her eyes to his again. 

"It's fine. Just… don't leave so soon, okay?" 

Gulping, she nodded and slowly sat down on the bed again. "O…okay…" 

"Good. Um… your name was Serena, right?" 

"Yeah…" 

There was a silence before Darien asked, attempting to sound casual, "So, uh… how… how do you know Andrew again?" 

Serena eyed him speculatively. "I go to the arcade a lot and… we just, became friends…" 

Nodding, Darien began to play with the covers between his fingers. "Just… friends?" 

Tilting her head to the side, Serena looked at him confused. "Yeah… why?" 

"Nothing, it's just… nothing. Never mind, forget I said anything." 

Biting her lip, she looked away from him, the remains of a blush just beginning to disappear from her stained cheeks. 

"So… do you… have a boyfriend? I mean, I'm just curious, you don't have to answer. I was just wondering if…" 

"No, I don't." 

Darien looked up at the girl who refused to make eye contact with him as she stared off at some imaginary point. He gulped, forcing back the grin that wanted so badly to show on his face. 

Serena sighed, deciding to change the subject. "So… I hear you'll be getting out soon. That's good news." 

"Yeah, I can't wait to get out of this place. Get some fresh air, eat some real food." 

She laughed. "I bet. I have to start school again tomorrow though, which I am so not looking forward to. Although… at least… I DO get to go see my friends again. I miss them…" _Or Ami, at least, if she'd remember…_

"Well, then, that's good." 

"Yeah." 

An uncomfortable silence draped over the room. From the corner of her eye, Serena looked at his hands, wondering what it would feel like if they were to stroke through her hair, or hold her close again… 

A click sounded from the other side of the room and they both looked to see a nurse walk into the room. 

"I'm sorry, but visiting hours are over for the day. You'll have to come back and see him in the morning," she said sweetly. Serena nodded, turning back to Darien. She thought she could see a deep sadness echo in his eyes before he forced a smile. 

"I'll come back and visit you if I can before you get out." 

He nodded. "I'll be waiting." 

She smiled, leaning forward to gently kiss his cheek. "Bye." 

Standing, she deserted the room, oblivious to his eyes on her the whole time. If she had turned, she would have seen him blow her a gentle kiss from two fingers just before she slipped into the hallway. 

... 

Serena walked slowly into the classroom, head bowed. Ms. Haruna stared at her in shock from her desk, glancing down at her watch, and then the clock above the door. 

"S…Serena, you're early!" 

"Yes, Ms. Haruna," she said quietly, finally raising her eyes to search the classroom. Her seat was empty. In the one next to it, Ami sat silently reading a book. The desk directly in front of Ami's was also empty, and Serena sighed at the thought of Lita back at the hospital, all alone. She couldn't wait until after school to go see her, as well as Darien. But for the next six and a half hours, she would work on "getting to know Ami better." She'd simply have to pretend she didn't already know everything about her, straight down to her birthday and middle name. 

"Oh… um… welcome back. We've heard about your unfortunate accident at the park, and are glad you're feeling better." Beneath her breath, Haruna muttered, "She's early. Must have gotten hit pretty hard on the head, poor thing." 

Serena slipped back to her seat, fifth row, third seat back. At one point, Ami looked up from her novel, and was greeted with Serena's warm smile. 

"Hey, Ami!" 

"Hello, Serena, I'm glad to see you are feeling better. You don't look as pale as you did when I saw you at the hospital the other day." 

"Thank you. Actually, did you know that your mother was my doctor? She was really great. I'm going back there after school to visit some people I met, and I hope I'll have the chance to thank her." 

"Yes, my mother is an excellent doctor. I hope to be just like her when I grow up." 

"I'm sure you will! You're so smart and everything already, I bet you'll have no problem getting into med school whatsoever!" Serena chirped happily. 

Ami giggled. "Thank you for your support, Serena." 

"Oh, I was wondering if you were going to the hospital again today?" 

"Yes, I was planning on it." 

"Great! Would you mind if I walked there with you?" 

"Of course not, I would love to have your company. I suppose I will meet you at the front gate after the bell then." 

"I'll be there!" 

Their conversation ended abruptly with the second bell, announcing the start of class. Sighing, Serena forced her heartbeat to relax. She never did understand the nervousness she felt, she didn't feel that way when she was usually making friends. But then again, as far as she was concerned, befriending the scouts was a life and death situation. She desperately needed their friendship. 

All during lunch, Serena had searched fervently for Ami, wanting so badly to talk to her some more. She had even ventured into the library, but the blue-haired girl was nowhere to be found. Going through the three class periods they had together was fun, but the rest of the day seemed torturous to her. Loneliness had never been much of a problem for her, but today, she seemed stranded in a crowd of best friends, and she was the only solo person. 

Finally, the last bell rang and she grabbed her bag and jogged out to the courtyard. After only a moment of waiting by the gate, she felt a tap on her shoulder and turned around with a grin. 

"Hey, Ames!" 

"Eh… hello, Serena!" she replied with equal enthusiasm, after the surprise of the friendly nickname had worn off. "Are you ready to go?" 

"Yup, sure am!" 

They began walking off happily to the hospital. 

"Say, I was looking for you at lunch, but couldn't find you," said the blonde with a slight pout. 

"Oh, were you? I'm sorry. I was in the chemistry lab. If I'd known you needed something I would have met you somewhere." 

"Well, I didn't need anything really, I just wanted to see if you'd like to eat lunch together sometime." 

_She was in the chemistry lab. Well, obviously, Serena! Why didn't you check there?_

"Eat… lunch… together?" Ami said slowly, shock evident on her face. 

"Sure! If you want to, that is." 

"Oh, well, um… I… I would like to sometime…" 

"Great, how about tomorrow? We could meet by the big oak in the courtyard. It's a great place to eat when it's sunny!" 

"Er… that sounds nice, but… I'm afraid tomorrow I was going to finish up some extra credit assignments for my biology class during the lunch hour." 

Ami didn't miss the sadness and confusion pass over Serena's eyes. 

"But… Ames, you're getting an A in every class. You can take some time off to relax and have some fun, can't you?" 

...

I sat leisurely on my beach towel, reading the physics novel in front of me. I could hear laughing and giggling coming from the beach ahead of me. I tried my best to push the sounds of fun and excitement out of my thoughts, but still, my heart yearned to toss the book aside and go join the others on the surf. 

Suddenly, someone sliding down into the sand beside my blanket jerked me from my thoughts. Looking over, I saw a blonde-haired girl with familiar buns on top of her head gasping for breath. She flashed me a huge grin and grabbed the book from my grasp. At first I attempted to grab it back, but stopped when she started talking, the large smile never leaving her face. 

"Come have fun with us, Ames! You can't study all the time!" 

"But, I…" 

"No buts! As your friend, I am commanding you to loosen up for the day and play some volleyball with us, got it?" she said with a laugh. 

I stared silently for a minute, before a smile, almost of relief, pulled at my lips as well. "You're right! We're at the beach! I should be having fun, not doing homework!" 

"Good girl, glad you see it my way. Now come on!" 

She set the book down and grabbed onto my wrist, dragging me over to some other girls playing near the waves.

... 

"Ami? Hey, Ames, are you alright?" 

Ami snapped from her thoughts to see Serena waving a hand in front of her face. 

"Yes, yes, Serena, I'm fine." 

Serena tilted her head to the side slightly. "You know, I think that's the first time I've ever seen you space out." 

Forcing a smile, Ami said calmly. "I was thinking, and I've changed my mind. I will meet you at the oak tree during lunch tomorrow!" 

After a stunned moment of silence, Serena smiled. "Great! I'll see you there!" 

As Serena babbled on the rest of the way to the hospital, Ami pondered silently over the strange illusion. She didn't know what it had meant, but for some reason, the girl in the vision, as well as Serena, both seemed to fill this place in her heart, aching for friendship. 

... 

Upon entering the hospital, Serena immediately grabbed Ami and began dragging her to the elevator. 

"Before we go see your mom, I have to go check on a couple friends. Is that okay?" 

"Of course, no problem." 

Reaching the floor she had earlier been kept on, Serena flew quickly down the familiar hallway to Darien's hospital room, Ami directly on her heels. She stopped suddenly, gasping when she looked into the room. 

The flowers were gone. The clothes were gone. An empty bed sat in the center, the blankets neatly folded on top. 

"Wha…? Where is he?" 

"Ami? Oh, I thought I saw you come in," said an older, feminine voice from behind them. Serena turned to see Ami giving a hug to a tall woman with hair of the same blue color pulled into a bun. She wore a stainless white suit and Serena instantly recognized Dr. Mizuno, Ami's mother. 

"Mom, you've met Serena." 

"Oh, yes, Ms. Tsukino. I'm glad to see you feeling better. I didn't know that you and my daughter were friends." 

"We have a few classes together, but we just started getting to know each other recently," said Serena politely. "Oh, um… Dr. Mizuno, I was wondering if you know what happened to Darien?" 

"Who? Ah, yes, Mr. Chiba, the young man who was staying in this room, right? If I'm not mistaken, he was released this morning. He healed remarkably fast, I'm happy to say." 

"Oh… he's gone then. Th…thank you." 

"Of course. Ami, it looks as though I'll be working late tonight. Could you make yourself dinner?" 

"Sure, Mom." 

"Thanks, dear. It was nice seeing you again, Serena." 

"You too." 

"Good bye girls." 

Serena and Ami waved goodbye as her mom left down the hall. Turning to her new friend, Ami asked with slight teasing in her voice, 

"So… who's Darien?" 

Serena laughed. Though she didn't show it often, Ami certainly had her nosy and mischievous side. Sighing, she brushed past her to head back to the elevator. 

"Darien is… a guy I know." 

"Mmhmm… and…?" 

"And… he's sweet…" 

"And…?" 

"…kind, funny, romantic, handsome, would you like me to continue?" 

Ami giggled. "No, I think I've heard enough." 

Smiling, Serena pressed the down arrow beside the elevator. "I'll have to find him somehow. I would miss him so very much. Although, I'm pretty sure he hangs out at the arcade quite a bit. I know a friend of his works there."

"I suppose we'll just have to make a stop there later on, won't we?" Ami said, nudging Serena gently in the side with her elbow. They continued to laugh and joke as the elevator doors opened. Stepping in. they pressed the button marked _Lobby_ and the doors closed behind them. The ride was silent until once again the elevator stopped and another girl stepped in. Her violet eyes were dull and bloodshot from recent tears.

Trying to hide her gasp, Serena straightened up. _So, here's my chance to talk to Raye, also._

"Oh, you're the girl I saw here the other day, aren't you?" she asked. 

Raye looked up, first making eye contact with Serena, before taking Ami into recognition as well. Staring at the blonde once again, she furrowed her brow. 

"I… I'm sorry, I don't think I know…" 

"We talked for a little bit in the elevator. Um… my hair was down at the time, if that helps." 

Tilting her head to the side, Raye examined the girl in the blue, red, and white school outfit for a moment, then her memory clicked and she smiled. 

"Oh, yes, you're the girl who was in the monster attack last week, aren't you?" 

"Yup, that's me. Say, how's your grandpa? Is he doing any better?" 

Closing her eyes sadly, Raye leaned up against the elevator wall. "I just came back from seeing him. He seems to be breathing easier, but he still hasn't woken up." 

Serena pursed her lips sadly, wishing she knew what to say or do to make things better. "I'm so sorry to hear that." After a brief silence, Serena held out a friendly hand. "Oh, I just remembered that I never introduced myself. My name's Serena." 

After a moment of contemplation, Raye held out her hand also, taking Serena's into her own. "Hello, I'm Raye." 

"I'm Ami," said the blue-haired girl who had been listening to the conversation quietly. "I am very sorry to hear about your grandfather's condition. I… suppose he's in a coma?" 

Gulping, Raye nodded just as the elevator stopped on the bottom floor. They all filed out, but Serena grabbed Raye's arm before she could leave. 

"Hey, do you want to join Ami and me for a snack in the cafeteria? I'm getting kind of hungry, and I think I'd like to get to know you better. My treat!" 

Raye stared at her speculatively a moment before a small smile dawned across her lips. "Sure, I guess. I have some work to do at the temple, but it can wait." 

"Temple?" asked Ami as they began walking toward the cafeteria. 

"Yes, I help at my grandpa's temple, over on Cherry Hill." 

"Oh, would that make your grandfather Mr. Hino?" 

Raye looked suspiciously at the girl beside her. "How did you know?" 

"My mother is Mr. Hino's doctor. I've visited him a few times. I'm really not supposed to give out this information, but I think you'll be happy to know that your grandfather is well on his way to recovery. My mother was saying that she expects him to wake up within the week," she exclaimed with a smile, then added more solemnly, "But you see, I'm not supposed to tell you, really, because it's uncertain, and we're not supposed to get peoples' hopes up." 

However, Raye's eyes looked about ready to burst from her head, shining with unspoken happiness. "Oh… I… thank you for telling me! You've given me so much more hope!" 

Before anyone really knew what was happening, Raye had wrapped Ami up in a giant hug. As Serena stared on in shocked happiness, she realized it was the first time she had seen Raye so extremely open with her feelings. 

Raye also seemed to notice the strange show of emotion and pulled away from the surprised girl. "I'm sorry, but I'm just so happy right now! I can't thank you enough!" 

Serena laughed. "This is great! And when your grandpa is better, you'll have to introduce us to him, alright?" 

"I can do that! Sure! You… you guys both have been so nice to me today, and… I'm smiling for the first time in weeks! Thank you!" In another spur of the moment impulse, Raye now through her arms around Serena, and she hugged back with equal enthusiasm. 

...

I paused from my sweeping, wiping some sweat away from my brow and breathing a sigh of relief. The courtyard was almost empty of those blasted cherry blossoms. I love the trees in bloom, but they are such a hassle after the season has ended. 

"Are you almost finished?" said a cheerful voice from behind me. Turning, I saw a short girl with two blonde pigtails sitting on the stairs that led to the main entrance of the temple. I rolled my eyes and leaned my weight onto the broomstick. 

"Almost, you lazy meatball head. You know, you could have helped a little." 

She pouted for a moment, before smiling brightly. "But you didn't have another broom! Besides, you did an excellent job all by yourself!" 

Shaking my head at the response, I blew some bangs out of my eyes. "Hey, speaking of help, I thought you hired someone a little while ago," continued the girl thoughtfully. 

"We did. Chad, remember?" 

"Oh yeah! Doesn't he help much?" 

I shrugged. "He does, but it's still hard work. Especially on Grandpa…" 

She stared at me sadly; I could see the pitiful look from the corner of my eye. Then I felt a firm hand on my shoulder. Turning, I saw her staring at me with true care in her light blue eyes. 

"You really worry about him, don't you, Raye?" 

For a moment, I was speechless at the tenderness I heard in her voice. Then I sighed, looking away. "Of course I do. He's too old to be doing the stuff he does. His body just can't take much more…" I stopped speaking before I said something I knew I'd regret. But suddenly, I felt myself pulled into a friendly embrace as the blonde girl gave me an encouraging hug. 

"He's so lucky to have you as a granddaughter," she whispered. Ever so slowly, I returned the hug, wondrously grateful for her kind words. 

... 

Raye nervously pulled away from Serena, a small blush tinting her cheeks. "I'm sorry, I…" 

"Oh, that's okay! I'm glad you're so happy!" exclaimed Serena. "Now how about that lunch, gals? My stomach's starting to yell at me!" 

... 

Serena peered into the glowing white room, her eyes first flying to the baby-blue covered bed. The brunette, hidden to her neck in covers, shifted her eyes away from the TV to see the newcomer. Immediately, the dark green in her stare turned lighter and a smile grew on her dry pink lips. 

"Hey, girl! How you been?" 

"Pretty good, Leets. How are you feeling?" 

"Not bad, kind of tired. They've been filling me with all those darn narcotics lately." 

"I'm sorry. Any word on your condition?" With a friendly smile, Serena walked into the room, sitting down on the bed. 

Lita sighed, leaning back into her pillows. "Turns out I have a broken leg," she muttered unhappily, drawing the comforter back to reveal a cast up to her left knee. 

"Oh, I'm sorry." 

"Yeah. But hey, the good news is that I can be out of here in one to two days, as long as I promise to stay off my foot as much as possible and stuff like that." 

"Really? That's great! Oh, before I forget and leave them stranded out in the hallway, I want to introduce you to some of my new friends." 

Lita laughed slightly. "You sure do make friends easily, don't you?" 

Smiling, Serena only nodded, before turning to the door. "Okay, she's awake, come on in!" 

A moment later, Ami and Raye walked shyly into the room, their hands hidden behind their backs. 

"Lita, this is Ami and Raye. Ami, Raye, meet Lita!" 

"Hi, nice to meet you." 

"Hello." 

"It's a pleasure." 

"Oh, Lita, we brought something for you." 

"Yeah, what's that?" 

Serena grinned, nodding at her two standing friends. With wide smiles, they pulled their hands to the front to reveal four bags of hot, deliciously smelling fast food. 

"It's against regulation," said Ami secretively. 

"But we thought you might be a little tired of all that hospital food," continued Raye. 

"So as long as we don't get caught, eat up!" finished the chipper blonde. 

Laughing loudly, Lita gratefully accepted the gifts, reaching for her bed tray and piling the cheeseburgers, french fries, fishwiches, and onion rings on top. 

"I don't think I'm going to be able to eat all this, guys!" 

With a delighted glint in her eye, Serena pulled a fork from her pocket. "Well then I guess we'll just have to help you!" 


	3. The Wonders of Jealousy

A Million Kisses - Chapter Three  
Alicia Blade

**Reviews and reviewers are always highly adored. Thanks!**

_"'Be angry, and do not sin': do not let the sun go down on your wrath, nor give place to the devil."_  
-Ephesians 4:26-27

A Million Kisses  
Chapter Three  
The Wonders of Jealousy

Serena took a deep breath and stepped through the sliding glass doors. Immediately, her blue eyes began searching the familiar arcade for a head of black hair. There were many, but not the one she wanted to see. Sighing, she walked dejectedly over to the Sailor V video game. 

Digging through her pockets, she pulled out a quarter before sitting down on the blue stool. With one more glance at the counter to make sure she hadn't missed him, she shook her head and let the coin drop through the slot. 

Quickly, the beeps and buzzers from the game took over her thoughts, her blue eyes squinted at the screen, almost to a point where it blurred before her. Unconsciously chewing her lips, she let her fingers go through the familiar routines of buttons and joystick. Mechanical villain after villain disappeared off the screen in red and blue puffs of smoke as the yellow laser gun easily demolished them. End of the level baddies attacked the shorter crusader stupidly, ending up as just another pile of ash. The blonde on the screen jumped for joy, winking in Serena's direction, before she was sucked into the next, more difficult level.

And the next.

And the next.

And the next.

Each new world held more puzzles to figure out, more evil creatures to destroy, more chances for the heroine to strut her stuff. Serena grinned at the screen, ignoring the rising number in the corner. 10,000 points, 35,000, 60,000…

Serena could feel her entire hand tingling more with each jab at the button, each twist of the controller. How long had she been playing? She didn't remember ever battling this youma. Or the next. The background looked different and unfamiliar to her now. New territory. She was on the highest level she had ever been on, that she had ever seen anyone else on, for that matter. 

"Ay!" she screamed unintentionally as a beam of red energy shot into Sailor V's back. From behind her, she heard a very loud gasp. Furrowing her eyebrow, the game momentarily forgotten, she twisted her head to the side to see a huge crowd gathered around her, watching intently. "AAAAAHHH! Where did all you people come from!"

They simply ignored her, eyes locked on the screen, and then gasped in pity again.

"Huh?"

Turning around again, Serena saw the horrible words _Game Over_ scrawled across the screen, a crying scout on her knees in the corner.

"Oh, phooey!" she exclaimed, kicking the base of the machine.

"Hey, if I were you, I'd be ecstatic!" said a friendly voice.

Serena turned to see Mina Aino standing next to the machine. Somehow she had managed to push to the front of the crowd once she saw what a big public display it had become.

"Mina!" 

"Hey, girl! How did you learn to play like that? You even beat MY personal score, which is kind of ironic, don't you think?"

Blushing, Serena once again looked down at the screen. Sure enough, there was a bouncing SD figure of Sailor V, urging her to enter her initials. With a spreading smile, she did just that, her grin broadening as the screen showed the top ten, with SMT in number one. And what's more, she had surpassed number two, MVA by over 11,000 points!

"Wow…" she whispered.

"No kidding, I didn't think that was possible!" laughed Mina. "Come on, I'll buy you a shake in honor of your victory."

Giggling, Serena stood from the stool and pushed through the continuously gawking crowd. Walking up to the counter, Mina kept to her promise, ordering chocolate shakes for each of them.

"So, I ask again, HOW did you learn to play like that? You're stealing my thunder, you know."

Giggling, Serena shrugged modestly. "I don't know. Just practice a lot, I guess. That was the best I've ever done."

"Is that your favorite game?"

"Oh, of course! It's the best!"

Mina laughed agreeably. "Yup, I'd have to say it's my fav too!"

After a moment of apprehensive silence, Serena asked, "Hey, Mina, I was thinking… well, I'm planning a sleepover for Friday with some close friends, and I was wondering if you wanted to come and meet them?"

"Hm… what time?"

"I'm not sure. Probably around six or so, then you can leave whatever time you need to on Saturday. Would that work for you?"

"Well… I have a photo shoot tomorrow afternoon, but it should be over by six, seven at the latest. Sure, I'd love to come!"

"Great! I can't wait until you meet my friends. You'll love them, I'm sure of it!"

"Way cool, I can't wait either! Sounds like a blast!"

"Here, let me give you my address…" Serena mumbled, reaching for a napkin and pen. She scribbled down the information and handed it to Mina who slipped it into her pocket.

"Great, thanks. I really have to get going, so I'll see you day tomorrow then?"

"Yup, see ya!"

Smiling, the superstar walked out of the arcade, allowing Serena to inhale deeply. "Now I just have to tell the others."

"Hey Serena!" called another familiar voice. Smiling, she turned to Andrew as he took Mina's empty glass away. "How are you?"

"Pretty good. Actually, very good!"

"Great! Who was your friend?"

"Oh, that was Mina."

"Was it just me, or did she look kind of like Sailor V?" he mused. Serena giggled for a moment, not bothering to reply, before perking up.

"Oh, Andrew, have you seen Darien?"

"Not since this morning, why? Oh, never mind, I forgot for a minute there…"

Blushing, Serena glanced down at the counter. "Where did you see him this morning?"

"At the hospital. I was helping him pack up some stuff. He was released today, you know."

"Yeah, I know. I went there to visit him after school and he wasn't there." She sighed sadly. "Now that he's out, I'm afraid I won't be able to see him hardly at all anymore." 

"Oh, don't say that. You guys will get close again. Well, not that you ever really were in the FIRST place, but hey, things can't get any worse!" 

Rolling her eyes, Serena groaned slightly. "I miss him. I miss colliding with him on the street and I miss trying to stare at him without making it obvious and… I even miss being called Meatball Head."

With a small smile at the corners of his lips, Andrew leaned across the table, lifting her chin up with his finger. "Hey, you'll get him back. Don't worry about it, okay? Meatball Head." He winked, causing a light blush to rise on her cheeks. After a moment, she smiled back at him gratefully.

Darien stared, almost fearfully, at the display. He couldn't hear what they were saying up there at the counter. All he knew was that Andrew was less than eight inches from her face, he winked at her, and she blushed, before a sweet smile curved her lips upward. 

Gulping, he tried to move his eyes away, but couldn't. Pain clutched at his heart, jealousy pounding inside his mind. How dare he! How dare Andrew look at her like that, make her smile like that! Wasn't that HIS job? Besides, Serena had SAID there was nothing going on between them, that they were only friends, but now he knew that that couldn't possibly be true. His friend was in love with his angel.

Was she in love with him, too?

_... _

I glared across the table, watching the sickening display in complete agitation. My fists clenched beneath the counter, my eyes narrowing unconsciously in the direction of the couple in front of me.

The blonde Meatball Head giggled lightly, a small blush tinting her cheeks as she slowly inched closer to my best friend, Andrew, unbeknownst to him. She sighed longingly, staring up at him with glowing azure eyes; completely ignoring me. My teeth gritted together as I tried desperately to keep back the urge to yell and scream at them both. Couldn't she see that he wasn't interested? Or… was he? 

Meatball Head… you like him so very much, and never once even gave me a second glance. If only I could have you look at me like that, the same love-struck, ecstatic gaze. Can't you see how I feel for you? If you would pay attention, give me a chance, I could make you so happy…

But instead, you sit and flirt with my best friend.

My heart contracted in my chest and I lowered my eyes. That was enough pain for one afternoon.

... 

Closing his eyes tightly, Darien lowered his head, not bearing to watch the scene any longer. Turning on his heels, he began to skulk out of the arcade, fighting the emotions within.

"Hey, Dar, over here!"

Freezing in his tracks, he groaned loudly, before inhaling a deep breath and turning again. Andrew was grinning and waving at him. Building his courage, Darien tried to take calm strides toward the counter. His gaze fell on Serena. She was watching him with a hopeful smile, but the second their eyes met, she blushed and turned away. Darien desperately ignored his thumping heart and forced a smile, slowly claiming a stool next to her, but keeping his stare toward Andrew and the counter. He felt that he couldn't possibly look at her now, not knowing what he did.

"Hey Andrew! Serena."

"Hey dude, why were you ready to leave so fast?"

"Uh… well, I just remembered that I had left my car lights on is all."

"Oh, maybe you should go turn them off then." 

"Naw, I… don't plan on staying too long."

Serena bit her lip, allowing her view to travel upward. She gazed at him secretively from the corner of her eye, intently watching his every feature. Yearning for him. His voice sent shivers down her spine, and her lips began to smile. But she soon began to feel as though something was wrong. Why wasn't he looking at her? It was as if he was going out of his way to avoid eye contact.

Furrowing her brow, she turned away, continuously sipping at her shake.

"Funny, Serena and I were just talking about you!"

Her heart skipped a beat and she looked up at the blonde behind the counter angrily. He returned an innocent smile. 

"Yeah?" Darien mumbled disbelieving, trying to sound uninterested. 

"Yeah. Serena was telling me she'd missed you at the hospital today." 

Attempting to hide her blushing face, Serena mentally reminded herself to slap Andrew later. She missed Darien's surprised, and almost hopeful, gaze on her, before he turned away dejectedly.

"Ha! Yeah, well I sure am glad to be out of that place!" He laughed nonchalantly. Serena sighed.

"I'm glad you're feeling better Darien," she whispered. The first thing she had said since he had entered the arcade. "Er… it was nice talking to you, but I should really get going. Um… thanks for listening, Andrew. I'll see you later… Darien…" 

"Leaving so soon?" questioned Andrew hurriedly as she stood from the stool. "But Darien just got here!" She looked back at him to see Andrew urging her to stay with his eyes. She forced a smile. Inside, she was very grateful for his friendship and desire to see her with Darien.

"Thanks, I'm glad to know you'll miss me," she said with a slight giggle.

"Okay, well, see ya…"

"Bye!"

"Darien aren't you going to say good bye?" he whispered, just loud enough that Serena could barely make out what he said. Turning, she waited just long enough to see him wave tiredly, not even bothering to turn around and face her.

Gulping, she could feel a crack open in her heart. Piercing her lips together, she waved goodbye with shaky fingertips, mouthing 'Bye, my prince,' before turning and walking quickly from the arcade, rejected tears piercing her already damp eyes.

The moment she was gone, Darien received a very sharp pain on the side of his head.

"OW!" he exclaimed, glaring up at an equally mad Andrew.

"What was that all about!" Andrew yelled at him.

Furrowing his brow, Darien leaned back. "What are you talking about?"

"First you come in and say hi to her like she's the most annoying person on Earth, second you won't even look at her, much less talk to her, and then you refuse to even say goodbye! What is wrong with you!"

"Look, what does it matter anyway? She shouldn't care what I think."

"You're right, she shouldn't. But she DOES and there's no changing that."

"Oh, I'm so sure! I'm just another guy in the world. What does my opinion matter when she's got y… ugh, never mind."

"What? No, what were you going to say?"

"Forget it, Andrew."

"Tough luck. What is going on with you?"

"Why would she care about me when she's got a perfect boyfriend like YOU!" he screamed, then immediately regretted it. Sighing, he slid off the stool. "Look, I've gotta get…" 

"Darien, I don't know what you think you know, but you're wrong." 

Groaning, Darien turned back to look him straight in the eye. "Well then let me tell you what I saw. First, in the hospital, I saw you out in the hall holding her like she was your one and only, and then when I came in here today you two looked like you were about ready to kiss, and you're telling me that I have this WRONG!" He turned his attention down to the floor, running his hand through his hair, trying so desperately not to give away his emotions. "Okay, Andrew, if you really like her, then… I'll back off. Alright? She's yours. Just… just treat her well and make her happy and… I'll be satisfied." 

Suddenly, a great roll of laughter emitted from Andrew's otherwise silent mouth. Slamming his fist on the counter a few times, he forced himself to calm down, trying to look at Darien steadily. After bringing himself down to a mellow chuckle, he stared at his shocked friend with watery eyes, finally managing to choke out, "Darien, you have lost your mind."

Darien frowned curiously.

"Look, there is nothing, I repeat NOTHING, go on between me and Serena! We're friends, that's all." Sighing, he rummaged his thoughts for the precise wording. "In the hospital, I was comforting Serena because she was so worried about YOU. When she saw what condition you were in, it shook her up pretty bad. And here just a minute ago, she was sad because she'd gone to the hospital today after you'd been released and she missed you. Darien, I am sprung over that Rita girl in my biology class, you know that. And SERENA, well… she's sprung over you."

Darien stared at his friend uncertainly for a moment, chewing on his lower lip. Slowly, he slid back onto the red leather stool. "So… you're saying… you're NOT going out with Serena?"

"No, I'm not." 

"And you don't have… 'dibs' on her?"

"Of course not! If you want her, she's yours."

Slowly, Darien released a great sigh of relief, closing his eyes briefly, before they suddenly shot wide open again. "Wait a minute… if I want her? What do you mean by that!"

After a moment of slight confusion, Andrew shrugged. "I mean that if you want to ask her out, go ahead. Have fun, bring her roses, take a walk in the park…"

"No, no, no, you don't understand, I… I do NOT feel that way about her! I mean… um… I…" 

"Oh, give it up Darien! It's completely obvious that you're head over heels for the girl! Look, first you go on and on about this angel, which turns out to be Serena. And second, you turn into a complete jealous maniac the minute you think she has someone else. And you have the nerve to tell me you don't have romantic feelings for her? I think not. You can't fool me THAT easily. I know you a lot better than that!"

Darien gulped, listening to his point of view nervously. Was it that easy to read him? He admitted it had been a little harder to hide his feelings since the accident, especially when Serena was around. But was it so extremely obvious?

"Now Darien, you can continue to try and convince me Serena is JUST another girl in your life, or you can admit the truth, and let me help you!"

"Help me what?"

Rolling his eyes, Andrew sighed loudly. "Help you get the girl, you dolt! That IS what you want, isn't it?"

"Well… er…"

"Just say the word, Darien. You like Serena."

Leaning forward, he buried his head in his hands. "Fine, you win," came the muffled response. "I like her. A lot. A lot more than I've ever liked anyone else in my life."

Grinning, Andrew nodded his head. "Yeah, I know."

Looking up, Darien only gave him an evil gaze. "Fine, Mr. know- it-all, what now?"

"Easy. Now you ask her out!" 

"What!"

"Oh, relax, Dar, it's a lot easier than it may seem." 

"No, I can't. Andrew, you don't understand, it's way too fast! We've only known each other for… less than a week! I can't just call her up and ask her out; she'd think I was insane!"

The blonde mischievously reached for the phone and slid it in Darien's direction. "She will not think you're insane. Trust me, she'll be thrilled about it! I wasn't kidding when I said she was sprung over you too, you know."

With a panicked whine, Darien eyed the phone nervously.

"I can't."

"Why not?"

"What if she says no? I'd be heart broken..."

"She won't say no."

"How do you know?"

Rolling his eyes agitatedly, Andrew practically yelled, "Because I just know! Look, I give you my word she will say YES if you ask her out on a date, and you know how good my word is."

"Don't make promises you don't intend to keep, Andrew."

"Well I intend to keep this one. Now call her!" 

"Uh… Andrew, she just left the arcade, she's probably not even home yet! IF she was even going home."

"She doesn't live but five minutes away from here. She's probably walking in the door as we speak."

"But… but… what do I say!"

"Gee, I don't know, 'Hi Serena, how are you? Are you busy tomorrow? No? Great, then how'd you like to go to dinner and a movie with me? Maybe a stroll through the park afterwards, I'll drive you home, get a goodnight kiss if I'm lucky…'" he teased, receiving more hateful glares from his friend.

"This isn't funny, Andrew. You're acting like we're in high school."

"Well… SHE is…"

With a painful groan, Darien shot him one last glance before shakily reaching for the phone. Then he paused, screeching thankfully, "Wait, I can't do this!"

"Ugh, why not?" 

"Because I don't have her number! Ha!"

"555-5809."

His delighted grin fell instantly. Andrew only shrugged, pushing the phone a bit further in his direction. Darien moaned, feeling suddenly sick to his stomach, and reached for the phone with shaky fingers.

His hand clamped down over the receiver, his teeth biting at the inside of his cheek. "If she says no, it will kill me," he mumbled. Andrew heard him, but ignored it.

Slowly, Darien lifted the phone to his ear, and sluggishly dialed her number. His finger hovered over the last digit, quivering in the air. Rolling his eyes, Andrew reached forward and pressed the button. Darien screeched slightly in surprise, shooting imaginary knives at his meddling friend. Gasping, he stood up straighter as the phone began to ring.

Once. Twice.

"Hello?" asked a deep, feminine voice.

"Uh… er… hi. Is… Is Serena there?" 

"Yes, she just walked in. One minute please." He heard the telephone being set down before the woman screamed through the house, "Serena! Telephone!" 

There was a brief moment of quiet shuffling, before the phone was picked up again. He inhaled sharply, trying to block out everything around him and focus intently.

"Hi, this is Serena."

He gulped. _Here we go…_

"Hi, Serena, this is Darien."

There was a pause, before she squeaked out, sounding almost as nervous as he was now, "D… Darien?" 

"Yeah, hi."

"Um… uh… hi! How are you?"

"Pretty good… You?"

"Wonderful!"

"Oh… that's good…"

"Yeah…" 

"Er… So…"

"Uh… was… was there a reason you called?" 

Forcing himself to breathe normally, he managed, "Yeah, actually, there was…"

She giggled slightly, making him relax a bit. Her laugh sounded so beautiful… "Well?"

"Well… you see… I was wondering if… you were… busy tomorrow…"

"Tomorrow? No, I don't think so. Why?"

"Because… well… how would you like to… er… go… out?"

There was a silence, a rather long silence, and when she began speaking again, it almost sounded as if she was hyperventilating. Her voice came back rich with hope and delight, as well as the remaining hints of worry. "Um… like, as a… a… date?"

He gulped. "Yeah… like a date…"

"I'D LOVE TO!" she screamed so loudly, even Andrew could hear her as Darien yanked the phone away from his ear. Andrew chuckled and shook his head.

Pulling the phone back to him with one last flinch, he mumbled, "Geez, lower the decibels, Meatball Head." And for some reason, that sounded very familiar to him. Where had he come up with Meatball Head, anyway? Oh well, he liked it, and secretly hoped she wouldn't mind that little nickname… 

Andrew quirked an eyebrow.

On the other end, Serena perked up quickly. Did he just call her… The grin widening ecstatically, she choked out, "Sorry… I guess I got carried away there…"

Darien chuckled lightly. "Hey, fine with me. You said yes." He whispered it almost in awe, as if he had been expecting her to say no. And maybe he had been. She laughed a bit in response. "Well, great then! Um… how about I pick you up at, say, six?" 

"Yeah, sure, works for me!" she said happily. "Do you need my address?" 

"Yeah, that'd be great."

"4683 Cherry Hill Ave. It's a yellow house with white trim." Reaching for a napkin, Darien scribbled down the information.

"Okay, I'll see you then. Oh, and dress kind of fancy, okay?"

"Oh, um… yeah, sure."

"Alright. Good bye, Angel." 

She laughed, and for some reason, he simply knew she was blushing. 

"Good bye, Darien." There was a click of the phone, and he slowly hung up his end also.

"So?" said Andrew, raising a knowledgeable eyebrow. 

Sending him a giddy smile, Darien rocked back and forth on the stool. "She said yes." Then, hopping off the stool, he practically danced out of the arcade, singing, "She said yes! I have a date with my Angel, my Meatball Head, with Serena!"

Andrew chuckled, sliding the phone back over to its correct placement on the counter. "You're welcome."

... 

Ami walked into the hospital room, setting a vase of dandelions and ferns on the table. She was quickly followed by a bouncing Serena. Lying in the bed, Lita watched them both carefully. After a minute, she spoke up, 

"Alright, I give. WHAT is she so happy about?"

Ami shrugged, claiming a seat next to the bed. "I haven't a clue. She's been acting like this all day at school. Ms. Haruna, our English teacher, must have yelled at her fifteen times for spacing out so much. It's a miracle she escaped without detention."

Lita nodded in understanding. Looking up, she saw Serena eyeing herself in her dressing mirror, pinching her cheeks gently, licking her lips, finger-combing her hair. The brunette raised an eyebrow, before a smug grin lit up her face.

"Alright, Serena, whose the guy?"

Ami furrowed her brow, looking between her two new friends. Serena only giggled, blushing slightly, and turned to face them. Rolling her eyes shyly, she strolled casually to Lita's bed, sitting down with her back straight and head high, a silly smile plastered on her features.

"What guy?" she asked innocently. 

Lita laughed, poking her gently in her side, causing a squeal to erupt from Serena's ever-happy lips. "You know! The guy whose got you daydreaming and giggling and primping! 'What guy'? Ha! Do you think I'm blind or something?" 

Blushing even deeper, Serena let her walls crack, finally letting the smile shine to its full potential. "Alright, I'll tell you!"

Ami laughed loudly. "You'd think I'd been able to figure it out! Lita, how could you tell?" 

She only shrugged nonchalantly. "It was a bit obvious, don't you think, Ames?"

"Okay, okay, be quiet so I can tell you!" screeched Serena. She'd been holding in the good news since she received the phone call and was absolutely bursting to tell SOMEONE. At that moment, she would have squealed to the school janitor!

"Alright, so spill."

"Okay," perked the girl, her eyes focusing on the ceiling. "There's this guy, Darien, Ami, you heard me talking about him once. Anyway, I have been totally in love with him for the longest time, and at one point I was SURE he felt the same way. But THEN he was in the same youma attack I was in the other day… Remember, Lita, when I was telling you I'd lost all my friends, and the love of my life? Well, I was referring to him. And so I was really depressed, and it got even worse when I came to see him in the hospital and he didn't REMEMBER me, which was really weird, since he didn't have amnesia. But anyway, I started spending a lot of time with him and stuff and we were getting really close and then yesterday…" she paused, exchanging eye contact with her friend, each absorbed in her story. With a sigh, then, she sat back, finishing teasingly, "Oh, forget about it, I'm sure you guys have other things to talk about."

They both groaned simultaneously. With slight disgust, Lita reached forward, slamming her palm onto Serena's shoulder. "No FAIR!"

"OW!" Serena screeched, covering her arm. "Gee, Leets, sometimes you just don't know your own strength." 

"Well you deserved it. Now finish up, what happened yesterday!" 

Giggling, her fingers still rubbing over her sleeve, Serena grinned widely, a mix of mischief and rapture contained. "I went home… and he called me… and… he… ASKED ME OUT ON A DATE!"

She was practically bouncing now, watching her friends' reactions. After a moment of shock, Lita smiled delightedly. "That's great!"

"Really, Serena, it's wonderful!" Ami squealed happily.

"When are you going?"

"Tonight," Serena finished, hugging her arms and rocking from side to side, an air of innocence wrapped around her.

"Oh, darn!" Lita said, gently slamming her fist down on the bed. "I get released TOMORROW!"

Serena and Ami both stared at her in silence for a moment, before Serena shrieked, "WHAT! You're getting released? That's wonderful!"

"Yes, Lita, why didn't you tell us earlier?"

"Well, I wanted to hear Sere's news first."

"And why is that a BAD thing?" asked the blonde in confusion.

"Well if they let me go today, then I could help you get ready for your big date!"

Serena giggled excitedly, a blush once again staining her cheeks. "Yeah, but look at it this way. At least now you'll be able to come to the sleepover I'm planning tomorrow."

"Really?" asked Ami. "I hadn't heard about this." 

"Yeah, I wanted to wait until I was with both of you, well, hoping that Lita would be able to come, too. See, I'm inviting you two, Raye, and Mina. You haven't met Mina yet, but she's a sweetheart. I'm sure you'll love her. Can you come?"

Lita and Ami exchanged glances, before looking back at Serena. 

"Sure," said Lita happily. "Don't have anywhere better to go." 

"I suppose I'll be able to make it, as long as my mother has the phone number and address."

"No problem! I'm thrilled you guys will be there!" 

"You've got me excited now!" laughed Lita. "Hey, I can bring some snacks for us, okay?"

"Sounds good!" they both cheered. From that point on, the conversation centered around food, truth or dare, boys, and later Serena and Ami helped Lita get used to her new crutches that she would be using a lot more when she got out of the hospital.

"Okay, I'm thinking pink eyeshadow to go with the dress. How about you, Ames?"

"Huh?" she asked, looking up briefly from the magazine on her lap. "Oh, yes Raye, that would look wonderful on her. And Serena, what about this hairdo?"

Serena finally opened her eyes as Raye finished smearing on the 'rose dust' eye makeup and turned to see Amy holding up a beauty magazine. "Ooh, it's beautiful, but it looks complicated."

"They have instructions, and I think I can figure them out pretty well," countered Ami, going over the article.

"I'd go with that one, definitely," stated Raye, turning Serena toward her again. "Now, you already have a tint of rosiness in your cheeks, so I don't think I need to apply any blush. As for lipstick, since all your makeup if fairly pale, I think I'm going to use just a bit darker shade of pink gloss. What do you think?" 

"Sounds good, Raye."

"Great! I'll do that then."

After a few more moments of sitting giddily still, Raye announced she was finished and Serena jumped up to glance in the mirror. "Wow… It looks wonderful, Raye. Thank you!"

"Trust me, girl, you are going to knock that Darien guy off his feet!"

Giggling shyly, Serena took her dress from a hanger and ran down the hallway into the bathroom, calling "I sure hope so!"

Sighing, the raven-haired priestess turned to her new friend, still sitting on the bed flipping through pages. "Have you decided what hair style we should use?" 

"I'm pretty sure I will attempt the one I showed you back here." 

"That'll look great on her," Raye agreed. Inhaling deeply, she collapsed on the bed, staring up at the ceiling. "I can't wait to see this Darien guy. He must really be something by Sere's description. What do you think he'll look like?"

"I don't have any idea, other than he's 'dashingly handsome'." 

"Exact words?"

"Yes."

Nodding, Raye smiled to herself. "I hope he's all that she makes him out to be. Smart and funny and charming… I really think she deserves someone like that."

Placing the magazine aside, Ami turned to look down at the priestess, violet eyes staring into space. 

"If anyone deserves happiness, I'm sure it would be her."

"Ami, it's the strangest thing, but I feel like I've known Serena before. And... you, too."

Ami inhaled sharply, sitting back a bit. "You feel it too?" 

Turning her head to stare at the blue haired girl, Raye's eyes widened. "How strange… maybe I should ask the fire about this."

Ami shrugged, just as a princess stepped into the room. Their eyes immediately turned to focus on a brightly smiling Serena. She posed silently for a moment before twirling around.

"So what do you think?"

"Wow… you look incredible, Serena," admired Raye. A proud smile pulled at her lips. "I told you I work wonders."

Ami nodded her head agreeably. "Yes, you look like an angel." 

Serena sighed happily, looking down on her dress. "But it's not done yet! Ami, come do my hair!" she kindly commanded, reclaiming her seat in the princess chair next to her vanity, starting to take out her worn meatballs. 

He stood outside the door, shaking. How was he supposed to do this? For one, he barely knew Serena, ignoring the looming feeling that he'd known her for years. He didn't know her favorite color, flowers, food…

_Pink. Roses. Anything edible that isn't green,_ his mind whispered back to him. He furrowed his brow, before shaking his head. 

And yet he was taking her on a date. He sighed, chewing on his lip for a moment. He didn't understand the feelings that rushed through him every time she was around. He'd known her for less than a week, but her voice refused to leave his thoughts. The thought of holding her close, kissing every inch of her face, wrapping her up in a warm blanket and cuddling all night... Thoughts he'd never had before for any other girl, were now the only dreams he had. Fantasies of telling her he loved her, and hearing the same phrase in return overtook his every thought.

For some reason, in the back of his head, he knew it was all irrational. Love was supposed to be a chemical reaction between two peoples' hormones, triggering responses often mistaken for attraction and, later on, love. But Serena was the kind of person he'd never thought of as his type. And yet here he was, standing on her porch, ready to take her out on a romantic date. He was prepared to pull all the stops. His goal: to make her fall in love with him.

And the only reason he knew of why he was doing this was because when he closed his eyes and asked himself what would make him truly happy, he saw her.

Raising his finger, he rung the doorbell. 

"Eek, he's here!" Serena squealed, straightening her back just as Ami finished curling the last golden tendril of hair. Raye quickly misted it with hairspray, before tossing her evening bag at her. 

"Okay, you're done, you look beautiful, go!"

Nodding, Serena inhaled deeply. Picking up her skirt, she jogged down the stairs and paused to catch her breath at the doorway. Turning back for a moment, she saw Ami and Raye watching from behind the banister. Raye gave her a thumbs up, before ducking behind a large houseplant, pulling Ami down beside her.

Gulping, Serena reached her hand to the doorknob, swinging it toward her. Her heart raced continuously, and skipped a beat as she looked up into cool blue eyes. 

Darien's eyes, however, were not focused on hers. His gaze quickly swept over her, his lips parting slightly. The pale pink dress was long and sleek, accentuating soft curves down to the strapped sandals. The neckline was loose and low cut, soft folds of material showing milky skin and a graceful neck, complete with a simple satin choker. Her arms were bare, save a small tennis bracelet. Most stunning, though, was that her soft golden hair glistened beneath gentle light, no longer in meatballs. It was piled somewhat messily on top of her head with curled tresses framing her face and dangling down her neck. 

A small squeak left Darien's mouth, before he slammed his jaw shut, attempting to catch his runaway composure. Licking his lips, he smiled at her after his eyes had memorized every detail from her golden hair to her satin shoes.

"You look amazing…" he whispered nervously.

She let a blush flow into her cheeks. "Thank you," she whispered back.

Furrowing his brow, Darien looked up curiously as he thought someone giggled and sighed upstairs, and it obviously wasn't the houseplant.

"Um… are you ready to go?" Serena asked, her eyes taking the short opportunity to look over his simple, yet romantically handsome black slacks and white dress shirt. 

"Huh? Oh, yeah… oh, uh, this is for you," he said, trying to calm his nerves as he brought out a single red rose. He grinned as he saw her blue eyes widen happily.

"Thank you," she whispered, stealing it slowly from his fingers. "It's lovely."

"And you're gorgeous." He found it impossible to keep the sentence behind his lips, and soon enough, she was staring at him, a bit stunned. Finally, a smooth smile lightened her features, along with another, softer blush.

"I'm going to put this in some water," she said, hurrying into the kitchen.

He sighed, rolling his eyes backward, trying desperately to get control over his emotions. In a matter of moments she returned, and whatever he had achieved was wasted.

"Ready?" 

"Yup!"

"Alright, then, let's go."

He offered her his arm, which she took happily, before strolling out beneath an orange twilight sky.

After the door had closed behind the couple, Ami and Raye emerged from their hiding spot.

"I'd say he deserves her."

"He is exactly what she described him as, isn't he?" Ami agreed. Sighing wistfully, she walked back into Serena's bedroom to clean up rest of the makeover supplies. 


	4. The Moon and Sleeping Shepherd

A Million Kisses: Chapter Four  
Alicia Blade 

...

April 2005 ANs: 

Reviews make the Fanfiction World go 'round.

...

Original ANs: 

I have, like, zilch to say, except thank you much Klutz and Lady S! You are so helpful! And hi to the Pack too. I always forget to say that. Aishiteru, Jo-chans! 

From me, expect a few shorts in the new future. I have so many in my head and am finally finding the time to write them. Woohoo! 

_"The Lord said: Ezekiel, now say to the wind, 'The Lord God commands you to blow from every direction and to breathe life into these dead bodies, so they can live again.' As soon as I said this, the wind blew among the bodies, and they came back to life!"_  
Ezekiel 37:9-10 

Chapter Four  
The Moon and Sleeping Shepherd

"So… Darien…" Serena said, somewhat nervously, staring down at her twiddling thumbs. "Where we goin'?" 

"It's a surprise," came the mysterious answer. She raised an eyebrow, staring at him from the corner of her eye. "I hope you'll like it," he continued, "I wasn't exactly sure… But even though I don't really know you too well, I think you'll enjoy it…" His voice faded away to uncertainty as he spoke and she could see his blue eyes cloud over with uneasiness.

She let her lips turn into a tiny grin as she watched him. It was so obvious that he was as, if not more, scared than she was. A comfortable warmth seemed to engulf her heart at the simple thought that he wanted to impress her. As if he needed to. Reaching out, she placed a tender hand onto his arm, making sure not to jar his steering. "I'm sure I'll love it, if even just because I'm with you."

He furrowed his brow for a minute, before a sweet smile lightened his features and he took a short glance into her eyes. His grin only widened by looking at her, and he returned his focus to the road. Serena's hand came back to her lap, satisfied, and she let the rest of the car ride go on in contented silence, her gaze constantly switching from the outside view of downtown Tokyo to the man in the driver's seat next to her. 

Only a few minutes later, the sleek black sports car came to a stop and Darien inhaled a sharp breath. "Well, we're here!" he exclaimed, stepping out from the car. Instantaneously, Serena's door opened for her and a young man in a red suit with gold trimming held out his hand. Serena placed her palm uncertainly into his and was carefully dragged from the passenger's seat while Darien handed his keys to the other valet.

As Darien came around to the sidewalk and linked his arm through hers, Serena allowed her gaze to drift upward, and her jaw fell. Her date watched her from the corner of his eye, gulping nervously when she didn't respond, only stared at the building before them.

"Are you alright?" He waited a moment, and she managed a nod. Thinking the worst, he let his head drop. "Oh, goodness Serena, you hate it. Of course you would hate it, what was I thinking? Look, we don't have to stay, we can go somewhere else if you'd like, anywhere you want to go…"

She sucked in her breath, blinking back a few delighted, emotional tears, before shaking her head back and forth. Her eyes never left the sign hanging above the pair of grand oak doors reading "The Tokyo Art Museum presents A Gallery of Greek Mythology." 

"No, Darien, I love it! I just… can't believe you would… Oh…" Her hand came up to clasp over her mouth for a moment, before she turned to him, taking his hands into hers. She looked up at him with eyes pooling over with wonder and awe and exquisite delight. "I simply can't believe that you would actually WANT to take me here! I mean, I'm a ditz and immature, at least everyone says so, and coming here… just makes me feel so very sophisticated and special… and of dire importance. Thank you, Darien, it couldn't be more wonderful!"

Slowly, he let a smile crease his lips, the fear dissipating from his mug and thoughts. "You really like it?" 

She nodded vivaciously. 

Letting out a long breath, his eyes closed briefly. Impulsively, he leaned forward, kissing her on her forehead, feeling her loose blond bangs tickle his lips. She gasped, unsuspecting to the sudden movement and when he pulled away, only utter amazement was etched onto her pale rose-colored cheeks. "I'm glad. So… I guess there's no point in staying out here now, is there?" 

Darien once again strung his arm with hers and began to lead her up to the entrance. He handed an old man a couple of tickets and they were ushered inside, immediately greeted with marble floors, overhead, contemporary lighting, and a young woman passing out brochures. They avoided her carefully, shifting to the left side of the large room. There were many hallways branching off to the sides of the gallery, no doubt leading to more collections of priceless artwork. In the center, tall podiums, some with glass boxes on top, held sculptures, jewelry, and even dishware. Serena's eyes darted over the intricacy of it all. Her free hand came in front of her stomach to hold onto his, which still tied with her arm.

Darien glanced down on his angel as they walked to the nearest wall, a few select paintings hanging in grand wooden frames, spotlights making them glow warmly. 

"Where would you like to start?" he whispered, to match the serene environment around them. She chewed her lip mindlessly, looking up at a painting before her. 

"Here is fine," she replied in equal reserve. Immediately, Darien turned his focus to the wall before them, reading over a small plaque on the side. 

_HERMES; by Nike Addin; Hermes, the god of Mercury. Zeus' messenger who flies as fleet as thought to do his bidding._ The picture presented a young man with a simple sash about his waist, and brown sandals with glorious wings protruding from them. His head was bent down, dark blue, almost black curly hair falling across his forehead and deep charcoal eyes. He seemed to be reaching his hand down to a small village in the lower corner. The residents beneath him were engaged in a wild festivity, dancing with bright colors against a mostly dark background. 

"I think he just gave them a message of hope," whispered Serena, tilting her head to the side. Darien only raised an eyebrow to see her contemplating expression from the corner of his eye. 

"Are we going to analyze everything we see today?" 

She giggled, letting the serious face wash away. "Well, isn't that the point of coming to an art museum? Come on, let's go onto the next!" Giddily, she dragged him to the next painting, sighing and once again listing her head to her shoulder. 

_OF THE UNDERWORLD; by Leonardo da Vinci; Hades, also referred to as Pluto, fell in love with Persephone of Earth and made her his wife, Queen of the Underworld._ On the large canvas, a glowing, ethereal woman holding dying wildflowers in her hand stunningly lightened a background splashed with abstract dark colors. Over her shoulder, the white outline of a man could be seen watching her curiously, the only thing clearly seen of him was a dark gold chain he held in his hands, extending to the woman's ankle. 

"Why can't you see him?" Serena asked, analyzing the figure carefully. Darien smiled, glancing over the painting and admiring the beautiful workmanship. 

"Hades had a special… helmet, and when he wore it, he was made invisible to everyone." 

"Oh… she must be Persephone then." 

"I imagine so." 

"She's beautiful, but it's a sad painting. It's like he was holding her there… a prisoner." 

Rubbing some fingers over her bare arm, Darien shifted her attention away to move onto the next print. 

_ADONIS AND APHRODITE; by Anna Sapphire; Adonis, a human, was loved by Aphrodite, goddess of love, and Persephone, queen of the underworld. But when he was killed by a boar in hunt, the pain in Aphrodite's heart was cut much deeper than his wounds, and she wished that she could be a human and die with him._

Serena wrapped her arms around Darien's, staring at the exquisite, and melancholy, painting. It was divided through the middle, the upper half showing a beautiful land with flowers and grass, pale blue, sun-filled skies, and tall elegant trees, while below was a dark and depressing atmosphere. On the upper earth, a gorgeous, slender woman with long golden hair hovered over the motionless, bleeding body of a young man, tears sliding down her pale cheeks as her long arms tied around him. While in the underworld, an equally beautiful woman with ebony locks and dashing emerald eyes held a pale, translucent form of the same man alive in her arms, glaring upward in victory. 

"Oh, my…" Serena whispered, tears building up in her eyes. Darien almost wanted to laugh at the picture she made: a carefree, immature girl crying over a painting of Greek mythology. She was certainly full of surprises. 

"Are you okay?" 

She nodded, slowly removing her delicate hand from her face. "It's just so sad. I mean… you can see the pain that Aphrodite was in. She really loved him… and I think he loved her too." 

"Why do you think that?" 

"Well, if you look at him in the underworld, or… his soul in the underworld, it looks like he's staring into space, almost as if he misses something, or is daydreaming about something or someone else. And you can obviously tell that it's not Persephone, since she's holding him so tightly, and he's really not making any moves to return the act." 

Darien sighed, lacing their fingers together. Yes, she was perfect. "I can't believe you would read that far into it, Serena. You really are a wonder, you know that?" 

She blinked a few times, before lowering her head, a shy smile and blush rising up on her features. He chuckled briefly before walking a bit farther down the wall. At that moment, Serena looked up and felt her heart jump into her throat. Her feet froze beneath her. 

"Huh? What's wrong?" asked Darien, turning to see her face paling by the second. 

"Endymion…" she whispered. 

Furrowing his brow, Darien turned to follow her gaze. Above a large door hung a sign reading "Lonny Lanai's Collection: Selene, the Mmoon Goddess, and Endymion, the Shepherd.' 

"Serena?" 

Finally snapping from her reverie, the blonde turned to see Darien staring down on her worriedly. "You okay?" 

"Yeah, sure, I'm fine. It's just… that… What's in there?" 

"Huh? You mean Lonny Lanai's collection?" 

"Yeah." 

"Well, Lanai is an artist from Paris, I believe, and is famous for all sorts of artwork: painting, sculpting, pottery…. And most of her work centers around a mythological story about Selene and Endymion. All of her works on the two are in that special gallery. Er… do you want to go see them?" 

"YES! Oh, I mean… please… it… it's my favorite story…" 

"Really? I didn't even know you liked mythology." 

"Well… I like Endymion," she said simply, taking a deep breath and stringing her arm through his once again. Steadily, they headed toward the next room, all the treasure in the main gallery forgotten. 

The first thing they saw was a large sculpture in the center of the room, set on a marble table. It was life size and incredibly lifelike. Every detail was carved perfectly, straight down to the last strand of hair. The piece depicted a man lying on the ground, his eyes closed peacefully, one arm stretched over his head, the other on his stomach. He had one leg strewn straight in front of him, while the other was propped up casually. Above him kneeled a woman, dressed in only a simple wrap for a dress. Her hair collapsed to well past her ankles and her eyes stared into his sleeping face with love. One hand lay on his chest, while the other stroked a finger on his jaw line. Though her lips tried to smile, tears were rolling down her face. A large bronze plaque below read: 

_

Endymion the shepherd,  
As his flock he guarded,   
She, the Moon, Selene,   
Saw him, loved him, sought him,   
Coming down from heaven,   
To the glad on Latmus,   
Kissed him, lay beside him.   
Blessed is his fortune.   
Evermore he slumbers,   
Tossing not, nor turning,   
Endymion the shepherd. 

_

"I don't get it," Serena whispered uncertainly. The sculpture was stunningly beautiful, but… a shepherd? 

"Well, in the story, Selene is so in love with Endymion that she puts him into an eternal sleep so that she can love him and be with him whenever she desires. But they say that her passion for him brought her endless pain, knowing that no matter how many kisses she gave him… he would never return the favor." 

Serena sighed, her eyes caressing the art. _I'm sure at least SHE gave him a million kisses,_ she thought bitterly. In another moment, Darien was guiding her to the next sculpture. In this, slightly smaller, figure, a similar man stood with a rounded cane clutched to his chest, staring up in awe at a woman who was floating before him, about a foot off the ground, and only an inch or two taller than him now. She was nude, with only endless lengths of hair to cover her, and though he seemed frozen in shock, she was smiling down lovingly with one hand on his shoulder, the other on his cheek, evidently about ready to kiss him. 

"Why do they always depict him as a shepherd?" 

"Well, not always. Some poets and artists call him a king, and others say he was a hunter. But MOST say he was a shepherd, that's all." 

"I think he was a prince," she said wistfully. 

Darien laughed quietly, wrapping his arm around her waist. Her light blue eyes left the statue, quickly landing upon another painting on the wall. Taking in a deep breath, she walked over to it, Darien always at her side. 

Beneath the image was another tablet, which read, _A MILLION KISSES I; Endymion never woke to see the shining silvery form bending over him. In all the stories, he sleeps forever, immortal, but never conscious. Wondrously beautiful he lies on the mountainside, motionless and remote as if in death, but warm and living, and night after night the Moon visits him and covers him with her kisses. It is said that this magic slumber was her doing. She lulled him to sleep so that she might always find him and caress him as she pleased. But it is said, too, that her passion brings her only a burden of pain, fraught with many sighs._

The painting was similar to the first sculpture: with more color and more emotions pouring forth from the canvas. Asleep he lay, propped against a rock, as her glowing angelic body stayed with him through the night, beneath a sky of diamonds. She rested at his side, her head collapsed against his shoulder while her eyes searched his, as if waiting for him to arouse. Holding his hand in hers, she kissed a fingertip, immaculately tender, her silver eyes once again glossy with tears, those unshed. 

Serena sighed, closing her eyes for a moment. _I won't end up that way. His memories will come back, and I will give him a million kisses, and he will kiss me back! I can't end up like the story, forever alone… I just can't. I won't._

Darien risked looking over at her, slightly scared of her silence. Her eyelids were closed down tight, her head bowed, and it looked almost as if her lips were speaking to herself. Furrowing his brow, he reached up to place a finger beneath her chin. "Are you okay?" 

Her eyes instantly snapped open and she turned to face him. "Yeah," she whispered, damp eyes staring into his surprised gaze. Pursing her lips together, she took a quick step forward and wrapped her arms around his shoulders. Unsuspecting, he began to step away, but stopped. More than surprised, and clueless as to how to react, Darien very slowly returned the embrace. He barely heard her when she whispered, "I just need you to hold me right now." 

Gulping, he let his fingers rub through her curled locks of hair and over the smooth material of her dress. He shushed her, letting silky bangs caress his lips. He ignored some of the strange stares they received, pouring his full concentration onto the incredible lady snug in arms. 

_... _

I smoothed my finger over her jaw line, feeling her tremble at my touch. A gasp flooded from her pink lips and finally she allowed herself to look me in the eye. A steady breeze blew around us, tossing my cape around my body, and the streamers of her back bow in the wind. 

"Endy…" she whispered quietly, crystal pools building up in her pale blue eyes. "Must you go?" 

"You know I have no choice, princess. I am so sorry. Not a moment will go by when I won't think of you." 

"Please promise me that you'll return…" 

I stared at her for a moment, scared that I wouldn't be able to keep my word if I told her that. But if it would make her stop crying, I would say just about anything at that moment. 

A small smile curling on my lips, I nodded carefully. "I promise I will come back to you, my love." She knew I was lying. She knew I couldn't be sure about that. But I knew that saying the words had somehow comforted her. "We'll be together forever…" 

Just as the first tear slipped down her cheek, I grabbed a hold of my cape, wrapping it around her slim shoulders and bringing her body close to mine. We had had our last dance, and now after one more kiss, our last, I would be forced to leave her. As my lips neared hers, I could hear the soft voice whimper, "I love you, Endymion." 

And her lips were warm and soft, as they would be remembered. 

... 

Shaking his head, Darien clenched his eyes shut, before drawing himself back to focus on the now, and not these strange images in his head. "Hey, Serena, what's wrong? What is it? Do you want to leave?" He felt her chest rise steadily, taking in a shaky breath, before her eyes lifted to look at him. A smile was lingering on her face and she shook her head, holding down the choking tears. 

"No, I don't want to leave. It's just that the story is so sad. I… feel sorry for Selene." 

He stared into her eyes for a moment disbelieving, before letting a grin tug at his own lips and he rested his forehead on hers. "But it's just that, Serena. A story." 

"I know. I just think it would be wonderful if Selene could awaken him, and then he would fall madly in love with her and… and they would share a million kisses…" Her eyes closed lightly and Darien tensed on instinct. 

_A million kisses? Where have I heard that… before…? The painting. It's the title of the painting, that's all._

"You know, if this gallery is depressing you, we can go look at something else for awhile. There's a big showcase on Zeus upstairs, I think." 

She giggled quietly, her eyes regaining that lively sparkle. "I think that's a good idea!" 

"Great, let's go," he said, breaking apart from her just far enough so that he could let his hand linger at her lower back and began to tug her off into the room they had come from. 

On her way out, Serena took a lingering glance at one of the many paintings they had skipped, and gasped before a grand smile dawned on her features. 

In front of a pale, lavender-blue sky, two lovers stood in each other's arms, tying themselves together in a sweet, lasting embrace. His neck was bent down and her feet were stretched to her tiptoes, a vibrant, loving kiss glowing between them. Beneath the artwork, it read simply, _A MILLION KISSES II._

... 

"What do you think they're up to now?" Amy asked, raising her eyes from the book in her lap. 

Raye shrugged, "Beats me!" Her violet eyes never left the TV screen before her as her fingers constantly banged on the small controller in her palms. "I never knew how fun the Sailor V game could be! I'm going to have to come over here more often!" 

Amy sighed. She had a happy feeling in her stomach. And though she didn't know what it was, she had a premonition that it had something to do with their missing Meatball Head. Inside, she knew that Serena was having a good time on her date. With a grin still on her lips, she nestled back into the cushions of the couch, beginning to scan over the pages of the large novel again. Her mind automatically zoned out the beeps and explosions from the Tsukinos' television set to concentrate on more important matters, such as the chemical construction of DNA molecules. 

... 

Serena was having a hard time imagining any better feeling than his strong hand holding onto hers. His long fingers had automatically laced themselves with her own slender limbs, and his arm remained half wrapped around hers as well. The rough material of his shirt rubbed up against her bare shoulder. She could hear his soft breathing above her, and they both knew that words need not be spoken. 

After walking through the many galleries, the couple had deserted the museum and decided to take a midnight stroll through the park, which was destined to be empty. A small sliver of a moon hung in the sky, surrounded by tiny sparkling stars. There was a gentle breeze, tickling Serena's neck occasionally, and yet it seemed warm, possibly in part to the man beside her. He had always made her warm, even when it was simply due to her blushing. 

They had been holding a silent conversation for sometime. Remarking on the flowers, the stars, the water, with neither uttering a word. Only laughs and gazes and special looks that no one else in the world could possibly decipher. They understood perfectly. 

The path beneath their feet was made of dirt, their footprints sinking in among countless others of those who walk the trails daily. Once in awhile they would cut across a field of perfect green grass, dewdrops already beginning to fall to the ground at the change in temperature from the warm sunny afternoon. They admired the rose gardens, the lake, and the flowered tunnels, where you could walk beneath a dome of scented color, glistening silver in the moon rays. Darien carved their names into the pillar of a gazebo, and Serena shyly added a heart around them. He only laughed, his eyes twinkling with delight, and traced his finger over the heart once. Placing his arm around her waist, he had kissed her blushing cheek, and led her out of the small arbor. 

A quick game of tag had left both of them breathless, tired, and hot, lying side by side on a slightly damp patch of grass, their chests heaving exhaustedly. The soothing sound of water bubbled up from a large fountain to their right, and they listened to it happily, once again letting comfortable silence wrap them in her clutches. 

Sighing, Serena forced herself to roll onto her side, scooting closer to him and lying her head down on his chest. He was surprised for a moment, before letting his arm drift around her waist. His lips caressed the top of her head for a moment, before letting his eyes wander to the sky yet again. 

"Do you have any idea how terrified I was of asking you out?" he whispered finally. 

Serena opened her eyes, stealing herself away from the happy fantasies she had been having, only slightly better than the present. "Why would you be terrified of that?" 

"Because I thought you would say no." She giggled for a moment, tilting her head up to gaze into his midnight blue eyes. "I was afraid of rejection. Especially from you… I'm not sure why exactly, but right now I don't feel like I could… live without you. And I know that sounds awfully stupid, saying I hardly know you, but… if you had turned me down, I know I would have been crushed." 

She stared at him for a brief moment, before pulling herself forward a bit and placing her forehead against his. "But I didn't say no." 

He grinned, pulling her even closer to his body so that she lay almost directly on top of him. "And for that, I am grateful, and blissful, and feel like the luckiest man alive at this very moment." 

She laughed again as their noses touched, rubbing together gently. 

Suddenly, a spark of mischief entered Darien's eye and he propped himself up slightly, pushing her backward a bit. "Are you still tired?" 

She creased her brow for a moment, before shrugging. "I'm definitely not ready for another game of tag if that's what you're asking." 

"Not exactly. I was just thinking… about how wonderful that water sounds…" 

She tilted her head to the side, listening to the pouring fountain. "I suppose… so… What do you mean?" 

"Oh, nothing…" he replied nonchalantly, standing before her and pulling her to her feet. "I was just wondering… how would you like to go for a swim?" 

"Wha…?" Before Serena could reply, she was swept up into his strong arms. Her startled scream instantly turned to protests as he began to near the water fountain, his intention blindingly obvious. He ignored her continuous pleas and struggles. Laughter poured from his smiling lips, standing on the bench and holding her out over water. "No! Darien, you must be kidding, it's too shallow!" she shrieked. 

He laughed. "Yes, you're right, it is," he teased. Truly, the water was only about a foot and a half deep. And so, instead, he stepped into it, trotting onto years of collected nickels and pennies. The cold water sent goose bumps over his legs, but he ignored it, along with his black slacks now clinging to his calves. Serena screamed even louder, paining his eardrums incredibly, as he neared the fountain in the center. 

"No, Darien, please don't do this, this dress cost me a fortune, DARIEN!" And the words died into gurgles immediately as he submerged her beneath the oncoming waves. 

She came out gasping for air, spitting out water, her eyes locked down tightly. Darien chuckled, still holding the fragile girl in his arms. 

"Cold?" he asked innocently. 

Slowly, her blue eyes opened to glare up at him as he grinned back quirkily. 

"Alright, you've had your fun. Now put me down, Darien Chiba, this instant!" she exclaimed, pointing down at the water. He chuckled, pretending to think about it for a moment, before shaking his head. 

"Nope." 

"No! What do you mean 'no'! Darien!" Once again she began kicking and thrashing her legs and arms around wildly. His cocky smile only widened and he carefully placed her feet in the water before wrapping his arms around her waist, locking her hands against his body, weaving their forms tightly together. She almost immediately silenced herself. 

"Well, you see, Serena, I rather enjoy having you in my arms," he replied to her comment huskily. She could feel a bolt of electricity shoot through her spine as his touch seared her skin. Her hair was matted to her forehead and neck, the curls beginning to straighten out with the weight of the water on them. Tiny droplets dripped down her cheek, her arms, her legs, as her dress clung to her every curve. She realized that Darien wasn't exactly dry anymore, either. Though his head hadn't really been touched, his entire front side was just as drenched as she was. 

Slowly, her lips ran dry, and she licked them in response, quickly drawing Darien's attention down to the puckered, surprised, oh-so-tempting pout. Their breaths were ragged, the fountain forgotten, and now there were only each other's arms, bodies, eyes, lips… He leaned in, and she first felt his dry bangs brush like feathers on her skin. Seconds later his breath tickled her cheek, nose, her lips. Her eyes fluttered closed. He kept his open, just barely, blurred at her skin, until their lips met and he let everything go. 

His arms managed to tighten around her waist, one coming up around her back, his hand spread over her shoulder. His head tilted to the right, his lips pushing at hers, pressing against the soft tenderness. She was shaking beneath him, but he knew she wasn't scared. Possibly just cold, or as caught up in desire as he was. She shifted, and pressed herself into him farther, listing her head to the side and allowing her mouth to open. He did the same, and soon could taste her on his tongue. A jolt of pure delight shot through him. 

After minutes of holding each other motionless, Serena felt weak, faint, and let herself slide away from him. For a brief second he was startled that she was gone, but soon her head fell against his chest, and he once again began to breathe. His head collapsed on top of hers, feeling her wet hair cling to his cheek. It was a glorious feeling. He heard her sigh happily, and his heart turned into a feather. He gave her a squeeze and kissed the top of her head. 

"You're going to catch a cold," he whispered to the air, nervous concern etched into his voice. 

"Do you mean we should get out?" 

"It would be smart." 

She giggled secretively. "Nuh-uh, I haven't gotten my revenge yet." 

"Huh?" 

And before he could even begin to think of what she was conniving, the mischievous girl was gone from his arms, a good five feet away, and splashing him with all she was worth. Instinctively, he raised his arms in front of his face in order to protect himself, yelling roughly in surprise. Soon, the splashing stopped and she laughed loudly, grabbing at her stomach for a moment, before quickly frolicking over to the opposite side of the small pool, around the base of the fountain. Darien looked up, a good natured, yet semi-evil grin plastered to his tingling lips. Shaking in hidden laughter, Darien swiped his arm across his forehead, rubbing away some of the water drops dripping from his thick ebony bangs. 

Immediately, he began running after her, chasing the minx in circles around the chuckling fountain, each of them taking cheap shots at the other whenever they could. At one point, he stopped mid-fight, out of breath for the time being. 

"Alright, now what happens if I want another kiss?" 

She giggled, her eyes twinkling in utter joy. "Then you're going to have to catch me first!" 

He somehow managed to regain his breath very quickly. 

... 

Serena's delighted laughter must have echoed for miles away as she clung to Darien's arm, walking up her driveway. He finished up with his joke while Serena clutched at her stomach, giggling hysterically, and provoking a smile from Darien as well. He guided her up the steps, making sure that she wouldn't stumble on them as he did so, before stopping before the door. She leaned back against the porch railing, her eyes closed as tiny teardrops began to seep through the lids. Both their cheeks hurt from the constant smiling, but it was a good hurt. 

Breathing in deeply, Serena wiped her arm across her eyes, managing to look up at Darien through a hazy stare. They stood like that for quite awhile, happy in their company. 

"I've never heard anything so hilarious in my life!" she finally exclaimed, grinning excitedly. He chuckled in response, tossing his hands in his pockets. 

"Hey, anytime. You have no idea what a gorgeous smile, and laugh, you have." 

She blushed, turning away as the dim porch light allowed him to see the bright coloring in her cheeks. Sighing, she quickly began to search through her evening bag for her key as Darien watched silently. He had half an urge to grab the purse from her and toss it across the street, just so he could keep her out here with him longer. But he knew that would be immature. 

Clearing her throat, Serena lifted the key from the small handbag and easily fitted it to the doorknob. Darien inhaled deeply, eyeing her solemn face. The smile had died somewhere down the line. 

"So I guess this is goodnight?" he whispered just as she hesitated to walk inside. Her lips pressed together for a moment, and then she turned to him, staring into his navy eyes. A tiny smile grew on her face. 

"I had fun tonight," she whispered, unconsciously holding her breath. She let it out the second his corky grin returned to his handsome features. 

"Me too. Can we go out again sometime?" 

And her smile widened even more. Breathlessly, she managed, "I would love to!" 

Darien chuckled and took a step towards her, pinning her against the door. She obviously didn't mind. "Great. Then I'll call you." Licking his lips, he craned his head downward and pressed their mouths together. She let out a muffled sigh, her hand rising up to tie around his neck. He broke apart for a second, let one last gentle butterfly kiss tickle her lips, before pulling away completely. 

"You'd better call me," she whispered, innocently, and yet with an undertone of seductiveness. He traced a finger along her jaw, pressing it tenderly against the tip of her nose. 

"Good night, my angel." Turning, he began to saunter back to his car. 

"Good night, my prince!" she called after him as he opened the door to his car. He smiled up at her, winking briefly just as she stepped inside the front door. Outside, she heard his car drive off, and immediately let out a loud, ecstatic squeal, sinking down to the floor and tossing her hands upward. Her legs kicked around a bit as she squirmed joyfully. She felt like dancing, singing, and jumping all at the same time. 

"Well it's about time you got home, missy!" 

"Yes, do you have any idea what time it is?" 

"Did you forget about your curfew!" 

"We have been worried sick all night!" 

Surprised, Serena opened her eyes and let her gaze travel up the staircase to be met with two teenage girls, hands on their hips, staring down on her with imagined anger. 

Raye raised her eyebrow as she stared at her obviously joyful, and drenched, blonde friend. Amy only giggled at her stunned expression. 

"Alright, girl, we want ALL the details!" 

... 

_Disclaimers and Citations: First of all, da Vinci, obviously, who most likely never painted anything like I have described here, but get over it. I wanted someone famous. 'course, Nike isn't famous, but her art is so good it might as well be. ) She's my buddy. Also, I got all of my information, as well as some direct quotes, from Edith Hamilton's _Mythology: Timeless Tales of Gods and Heroes. 

Love and God bless!   
Alicia 


	5. Parting, a NotSoSweet Sorrow

A Million Kisses - Chapter Five  
Alicia Blade

...

April 2005 ANs:

_.twiddles thumbs._ So, I really don't want to be one of those obnoxious authors who constantly complains about not getting enough reviews, but, well, 150 of you have me on your author alert list and I'm only getting about 10 reviews per chapter. So... if you were so inspired, I'd love to hear from you silent-types out there. Thanks! 

...

Original ANs:

Hi there! Nearing the end of this one, 2 more parts to boot, possibly an epi, undecided. Merry Christmas '99! God bless! 

_"So the Lord's promise came true, just as the prophet had said, 'A virgin will have a baby boy, and he will be called Emmanuel,' which means 'God is with us.'"_  
Matthew 1:22-23 

... 

A Million Kisses  
Chapter Five  
Parting, a Not-So-Sweet Sorrow

The sun was warm against their skin as Amy and Serena sat side by side on the school's front steps. Touches of shade from a large cherry tree nearby dotted their skin with laced designs. There were touches of a breeze, but the air was warm, tenderly brushing through their hair. 

Serena sighed longingly. She couldn't wait to get out of school, and they were only half way through the day! Could this lunch period last any longer? Her back rested against the short wall, her neck bent slightly to avoid the metal handrail. Her eyes had been staring up at the sapphire sky since the last bite of her sandwich had been devoured, some while ago, or so it seemed. Amy was currently studying for something or other, taking bites from her small Caesar salad on occasion. Short blue locks of hair were falling over her eyelids, ignored completely by the diligent stare. 

"Are you coming to the arcade with me today?" Serena asked, her voice small and dainty. Amy's eyes looked up at her for a moment, and she slowly placed a ribbon between the pages to mark her spot and closed the book. 

"I thought we were going to the hospital to see Lita." 

Pursing her lips together, Serena's face scrunched up in a sour expression momentarily. "Oh yeah… I forgot about that," she muttered, groaning slightly and letting her head collapse to her chest. 

Amy swung her feet up on the step, folding her skirt down over her legs and lying her arms on top of her knees. A smile pulled at her lips as she stared at her blonde friend. "You were hoping to see Darien?" A nod came in result. She closed her eyes happily, leaning her head down on her arms. "Well, Serena, why don't you go to the arcade then, and I'll go check up on Lita?" 

Serena paused for a minute before shaking her head sadly. "No, that's okay. Thank you, Ami, but Lita is getting released today and I should be with her, to help her pack up and stuff. Darien can wait. It's not like he's moving to America or anything… so I'll… just… see him later. Lita is more important!" 

"Well I would certainly hope so!" another voice said from behind her. Amy looked up just as Serena turned to see the tall brunette standing at the base of the stairs. Dressed in dark blue jeans and a black tank top that showed her stomach and a barbwire tattoo around her belly button, she looked like she could have been menacing, but the crutches and broken foot destroyed the look. 

"Lita!" both of the girls screamed, jumping up immediately. Serena flew down the steps, about ready to attack her in one of her world famous bear hugs, when the newcomer held up her crutch, pointing the tip at Serena's chest. 

"You stay right there, Girly! I don't need you breaking anything else right now!" 

Freezing on the third steps, Serena let her arms fall to the side, before blushing slightly. Lita let the crutch down for support and clambered slowly to the steps, helping herself down. Amy was about to help her, but Lita shook her head. 

"Thanks, but I need to learn how to get around on my own. Why don't you guys sit down?" 

They did just that, with Amy seated in the middle of the group. Serena curled her legs beneath her, staring up happily at her friends, her focus eventually falling on Lita. 

"How did you know where to find us? I never told you which school we went to." 

"Yeah, I know. Actually, I wasn't looking for you. I came here to get enrolled." 

"Enrolled? In school? But… didn't you drop out…?" 

Lita sighed, tossing the crutches on the grass at her feet. "Yeah, but I've decided to go back. I mean, I won't get anywhere in life if I keep hanging out in gangs. Besides, now I have some real friends I can count on!" 

Serena beamed at her, nodding vivaciously. 

_... _

"Hey, Serena?" I asked out of nowhere, not bothering to turn my head to the side. My eyes were busy analyzing the patterns of the tree above me, the patches of sun filtering through thick green foliage. 

"Yeah?" the calm reply came shortly afterwards. 

"Did you know that you were my first true friend?" There was a moment of silence, and then slight ruffling of clothes and vegetation as the girl shifted to her side. 

"Why do you say that?" 

After letting my eyes close for a brief moment, I opened them to see friendly blue eyes staring into mine. A smile rose on my lips and I tossed one of my hands casually beneath my head. 

"Of all the people I've ever known, and even loved, no one ever ever tried to get to know the real me. They never took the time to listen or… reach out, or even smile. But you… you are a true friend. I just thought you might want to know." 

She smiled lovingly, tilting her head to the side. "All those people you knew and loved didn't know what they were missing." 

... 

Shaking her head, Lita quickly changed the subject, leaning forward in excitement. "But on to more important things! Raye stopped by the hospital this morning, evidently her private school was out for the day, and told me all about your little date last night, Serena. Now would you kindly explain to me just WHAT you thought you were doing prancing around in a fountain in the middle of the night!" 

... 

Violet eyes were closed tightly, practically straining her unseeing gaze at the simple force she held them with. Her brow was furrowed, almost knitting the small black eyebrows together. Beads of sweat began to cover the rim of her hairline from the incessant heat from the burning fire before her. Her arms, face, and chest felt vast amounts of warmth covering them, while her back experienced cold chills from a window opened behind her. Her knees were sore, despite the pillow beneath them that was commonly used for kneeling in prayer. Her back and neck had become stiff some time ago, and she knew it would be hard to sleep tonight. But those thoughts were pushed to the back of her mind as she poured her concentration into the sacred fire before her. 

Slowly, slender but powerful arms began to rise before her and perform an elaborate dance for none but the gods to see. A chanting rose up in her throat, a deep rumble from within her, and her lips steadily began to part. The tight expression on her face softened as her violet eyes opened to see nothing but sparking orange flames. 

"Sacred fire, I kneel before you. Please give me the knowledge and wisdom I seek. I crave the answer to this question: Who is Serena? Why does it feel as if I know her, as well as Amy and Lita? Who are they? Sacred fire… Who am I?" 

The surging flames spat upward, a roar echoing through the temple walls. They danced before her for a moment, before calming and twisting into strange shadows and shapes. She squinted into them, the heat stinging her eyes. Then, without warning, the fire died completely. 

"Huh?" she stuttered, her stare widening. She jerked back in surprise; her jaw dropped. Confused, she was ready to jump up and see what had caused the disturbance, but then a pale light began to rise up from the pit the fire had previously been burning on. She remained motionless as a beam rose up from the ashes and smoking timbers. Slowly, it took the shape of a woman. She was iridescent, like a ghost or spirit, with a white dress and silvery hair falling from two buns on the side of her head down to her ankles. Crystal blue eyes smiled down on her. 

A moment of silence passed between them as Raye stared in awe at the woman. Eventually, the stranger broke the spell. "Raye, you will know the answers to your questions soon. Just remember that Serena is Serena, and you are you. Please, Raye, protect our princess." her voice was quiet and serene, gentleness filling every word. 

Her throat dry, Raye licked her lips and attempted to speak. Her voice sounded hoarse within, but she minded not. "Our princess… who is our princess?" 

The woman smiled charmingly. "You already know. Somewhere deep within." 

_... _

"Are you sure you want to follow her to Earth, Sailor Mars? It could be dangerous down there, with Beryl and the Negaverse…" 

I sighed, staring down at the marble floor. "She's going down there either way, my queen. She feels she must… to help Prince Endymion. And the way I see it, she can't very well go alone. It's far too dangerous!" 

"Oh, but Raye, I could send one of our guards down. I don't want you to get hurt and…" 

"Thank you, your majesty, for worrying about my health and safety. But you know that the scouts are far better trained in combat than any of our guards, and, frankly, I don't trust that they could defend her. If Serena went to Earth and was hurt, I would never escape the guilt. I know we argue a lot, Serena and I… But… she's your princess, and she's Endymion's princess… and… she's my princess too, Serenity. I hope you understand." 

The queen's pale blue eyes turned from seriousness to love and understanding. "She is lucky to have a friend like you, Raye. You may accompany her to the blue planet." 

... 

By the time Raye snapped from her reverie, the flames from the fire were licking the ceiling again. She groaned tiredly, collapsing to her side on the hard wooden floor and staring forward, unseeing, into the fire. 

... 

"You're sure he hasn't been here today, Andrew?" 

"Nope, sorry Serena. I haven't seen him." 

She sighed, sagging her shoulders. "And you haven't talked to him either?" 

"Nuh-uh. Look, if I hear from him, I'll tell him that you were looking for him, okay?" 

"Yeah, thanks," she mumbled dejectedly. 

There was a short moment of silence before Andrew leaned over the table. "Now… do you mind telling me what happened on your date last night?" 

Serena gasped, sitting up straighter. "How did you know we went out?" 

"Aw, come on, he was sitting right there when he called you! I'M the one who convinced him to do it, you know. He was terrified! I highly doubt he would have had the courage otherwise," Andrew stated proudly, a smug grin on his face. 

The blonde meatball head gawked at him for a minute, before a wide smile spread across her lips. "Really, Andrew? You did that for me? Thank you SO much!" Squealing with delight, she practically jumped across the counter, wrapping her arms around his neck. He laughed loudly, before prying her away. 

"Yeah, yeah, you're welcome. Now WHAT happened?" 

She blushed, giggling. Finally, she turned to Lita and Amy who were sitting next to her innocently and gestured a hand at them. "Get all the info from them. I think I'm going to go home and… sit next to the phone… waiting for him to call…" Sighing loudly, she picked up her school bag and headed out the arcade, always hoping to run into a familiar chest on the way. She never did and continued to look down sadly, up the familiar streets. A black cat who had been ignored lately followed behind her. 

Once they had turned into Serena's residential area, Luna clambered up a fence by means of a few trashcans and perched there silently for a moment, before jumping onto Serena's shoulder, instantly startling her from her daydreams. The girl squealed loudly, before catching her breath and glaring at the innocent-looking cat. Luna purred, rubbing up against her hair, and Serena giggled. She obliged, scratching the cat lovingly beneath her chin for a moment, before stroking her fur few times and eventually letting her hand drop back to the side. 

"Oh Luna, do you think he'll call?" 

"I should say so, Serena. He said he would, after all." 

"Yeah, I know, but the TV says that guys NEVER call when they say they will." 

"That's only if they really don't care, or are extremely busy. Now, it's possible that Endymion is very busy, he does attend college and have a job, after all. But otherwise, he will call. He loves you very much, Serena." 

Blushing, the blonde turned her head away, grinning happily. "Do you really think he does?" 

"Well, think about it. He was ready to marry you a thousand years ago. He was protecting you with his life a week ago. And now… he already asked you out on a date. I'd say he loves you very much." 

"I hope so…" 

"Serena, pay attention to where you're going! You almost walked right by your house!" 

"Huh?" Looking up, Serena saw that, indeed, she was already standing in front of her own driveway. She hadn't run into him. Holding her head high, she trooped up to the front porch and quitely went inside. She could hear her brother playing Nintendo in the living room and headed up to her bedroom. There, she threw her bag down on the bed, before setting Luna down on the cat's special pillow at the foot of her bed. Sitting down at her desk, she stared into the mirror for awhile, looking directly into her eyes, almost lost in her own gaze. Finally, she closed her eyes, wetting her lips and imagining herself somewhere far away… in the arms of… 

"Serena! Telephone! It's a guy!" 

She gasped, her eyes springing open. She had just heard Sammy say that, right? Luna's smile guaranteed it. Grinning widely, she swung her door open and rushed downstairs, praying it wasn't Andrew. Out of breath, she yanked the receiver from Sammy's grasp as he watched her tiredly. Taking in a deep breath, she held it to her ear. 

"Hello, this is Serena." 

"Good afternoon, Angel." 

The aching smile erupted across her features and her entire posture perked up instantly. "Darien! Hi! What's up?" 

"Nothing much. I was hoping you'd like to go out with me today." 

"Oh, I'd love to! Well… actually, I'm having some friends over tonight around six…" 

"No problem, I can have you home by then." 

"Wonderful! When would you like to go?" 

"How about now?" 

DING-DONG! 

"Ugh! Hold on a minute, there's someone at the door." Serena set the phone down on a nearby table, rolling her eyes as she ran quickly to the door. Opening it, she gasped as her eyes came in contact with deep blue. Darien smiled down on her, holding a cell phone to his ear with a large, secretive smile on his face. She had to force back her delighted laughter. Holding up a finger, she managed, "One minute, I'm on the phone." Slamming the door, she could hear Darien's laughter from the other side. Walking back to the hallway again, she could still hear him chuckling as she picked up the receiver. "Darien? Now would be fine." 

... 

"Where are you taking me?" she squealed, feigning annoyance. Darien chuckled, guiding her up the small grass hill, his hand covering her eyes. He could feel the long eyelashes brushing up against his palm. He helped her duck below a low-hanging tree branch, holding onto her waist to lead her to the surprise. 

"You'll see. We're almost there," he taunted her, listening to her giggle happily and smiling along. Finally, he had her where he wanted her and released his hand from her side. "Now, no peaking until I say." 

She sighed, bouncing giddily from foot to foot. Laughing, he removed his hand from her face and quickly checked over everything. Serena tensed in anticipation. Soon, he was at her side again, whispering in her hair, "Alright. Open." 

With that cue, she let her lids lift from the blue eyes and drift over the incredible scene. She gasped, shaking to the core, straight to her thumping heart. 

A small blanket had been set out on the grass, a picnic basket, flowers, and even a small radio set on top. The sweet two-person picnic was set in a small alcove of trees, overlooking a tiny stream. She knew they were in the very suburbs of Tokyo. 

Gulping, she turned to face him, gazing into his stare with watery eyes. "You did all this?" 

He grinned proudly, perfectly satisfied with her reaction. "For you, my angel." 

Lower lip quivering, she stood up happily, straightening her shoulders for a moment, as if gathering energy, before launching herself into his open arms. He laughed, having expected it from the moment he saw that certain look in her eyes, and tied his arms around her. 

"I suppose this means you like it?" 

"Oh, Darien, I absolutely love it! Thank you, so much, so very, very much!" Briefly, she cried. Moments later she was wiping her eyes on her sleeves, sitting down casually on the blanket as they leaned up against each other and enjoyed the picnic in casual conversation. 

... 

"So Lita's much better now, and she'll even be able to come to my sleepover tonight and everything. I was so happy to see her during school, you have no idea! And I can't wait until her leg heals completely. We're going to go hiking near Mt. Fuji. Not all the way up, that's for really skilled people, but Leets says that there's a whole bunch of smaller trails up there. Won't that be fun?" 

"Sounds like it'd be a blast," Darien agreed, his arm draped over her shoulders as she leaned her head on his chest. "Friends are really important to you, aren't they?" 

She was quiet for a moment, before looking up into his stare, her eyes full of seriousness. "More than anything. I love them all so much, I really don't think I could survive without them. For… a long period of time, I didn't have any true friends, that I knew would come through for me and… always be there and never judge. And now… well, sometimes I wonder why I'm so lucky to have them. I just don't know what I did to deserve such wonderful people in my life…" She paused, looking down momentarily before meeting his gaze again. "That… that's how I feel about you, too." 

His eyes lightened and he tilted his head to the side. "Funny… I feel the same way. I don't deserve you, but… but here you are, and I wouldn't give you up for the world." His solemn mug turned into a sly smile and she let her serious pout turn up as well, just as he placed his lips to hers. His kiss gently lingering for a moment, he pulled away, still close enough to feel her breath upon his face. 

"How many would that be?" he whispered. 

"Huh?" she replied in the same tone, filled with warm happiness. 

"Kisses. That would be… five kisses?" 

Serena furrowed her brow, slowly backing away to see him staring at her earnestly. "Darien… what are you… talking about?" 

"Well, I kissed you twice in the fountain, once on your doorstep, here… and then there was the kiss in the hospital. So five, right?" 

She blinked a few times, trying to hold her rapid heart still. 

"Which would leave nine-hundred ninety-nine thousand, nine hundred ninety five, right?" 

Her head went light and for a moment she felt like passing out. Pushing nervous tears back, she slowly inched closer to him, staring deep into the depths of his eyes. "Darien… do… do you remember?" she asked nervously. 

He returned the gaze, his face unreadable. Then he let his brow crease slightly in confusion. "Remember what?" 

After a long silence, Serena turned away, holding back tears of anguish. Darien watched her as her face looked off somewhere in the distance. Gulping, he crawled over to her and wrapped his arms around her waist. She didn't react for a second before very slowly relaxing and letting her head fall onto his chest. 

He sighed, stroking his fingers down her side. "Serena, tell me what it is I've forgotten, please?" 

She chewed on her lip, closing her eyes. "Nothing, Darien. It was nothing. But… how… how do you know about… the… the million kisses?" 

He breathed in deeply, hugging her tighter. "The day in the hospital… the day we met, and I thought you were an angel… I remember you kissing me and saying something about… giving me a million kisses. It's kind of a blur, I mean, I was pretty drugged up at the time, and that's why it didn't occur to me that that had been YOU until last night… after our date. I was trying to figure out why it felt so familiar being that close to you and that's when it finally clicked that YOU were the angel. Well, I mean, I always knew that, deep down, but I'd never really thought about it, at least about you kissing me and all that it meant and… You understand, right?" 

Sighing deeply, Serena managed a nod. "I get it, I understand." 

Darien was quiet for a moment, unconsciously swaying to his own heartbeat. "But Serena, there's something I need to ask you." 

"Hm?" 

"Did we know each other before the accident?" 

Serena attempted to hold back the gasp that escaped from her lips, but failed as her body naturally tensed. "Uh… wh… what makes you think that?" 

Darien chuckled uncomfortably and licked his lips. "Well… why would you kiss a guy you didn't know?" 

"Um… I… I thought you were handsome?" 

"Serena, please tell me. Do I have amnesia?" 

"Darien, it's getting late, maybe we should…" 

"Serena, please!" 

She clamped her eyelids down tightly, a small whimper coming from her lips. Slowly, her breathing calmed down. 

"I'm sorry…" Darien whispered, kissing her forehead. "I didn't mean to yell. But… I have to know. Did… did we go out? Were we dating?" 

Serena let out a deep shaky breath, pursing her lips together tightly. Finally, she managed, "No, Darien, we weren't dating." 

Darien sighed. "Then what? How did we know each other? And why can't I remember you?" 

Keeping her eyes closed, Serena turned away. "We knew each other, but not really well. We would pass on the streets a lot of times and… get in a lot of fights. You liked to tease me, and I always insulted you back… But… I always had a secret crush on you, really. Then the youma attack happened and… and… when I got better I found out you'd been hurt too, and it scared me to death that you might not be okay so I went to see you and… that… that's when you woke up." She took in a deep breath, a few tears escaping from her eyelids. 

_Not the complete truth, but close enough. He'll remember the rest on his own time._

There was a long interval of silence. Finally, Darien broke it by an astonished, "Wow…" Taking a deep breath, he managed, "Why can't I remember you? I seem to remember everything else." 

She wiped some tears away and shrugged. "I don't know why. But… but it's kind of a blessing. I mean, now we get to start off with a clean slate." Her voice choked on the words, wishing that she meant even half of them. They didn't need a clean slate, she knew. They were already in love before. 

Darien nodded, looking down on her. He couldn't imagine how he could ever feel anything but tenderness and affection for this precious angel. Tilting her chin up, he laid a dainty kiss upon her lips and felt her melt happily into his embrace. "999,994 to go, Princess," he joked adoringly. 

... 

Serena couldn't stop humming as Luna watched in amusement, perched innocently on the back of the sofa. The girl was perfectly delighted. Sammy was spending the night at a friends, her parents were visiting some relatives up north, her best friends were coming over, and best of all, she had Darien. His heart, his attention, hopefully his love, but either way, all the kisses from him she could possibly ask for. Her dream was to reach way past a petty million. 

Her feet danced around the coffee table as she set out a bowl of popcorn and a tray of cookies. They'd gotten slightly burnt and she hoped Lita would bring something delicious to make up for it. Of course, if Lita brought anything at all, it was bound to be delicious. For a moment, Serena wished she could whistle and emerge herself in the age-old tune "Whistle While You Work." Instead, she would sing the first line and hum a little ditty to herself, soon remembering that even if she could whistle, she only knew the one line of the song. 

The table was set with foods and treats, the couch decked out in pillows, and the furniture pushed back to allow plenty of room for sleeping bags. The scouts would be here soon. Her heart sang along with her voice. She could tell them all about her prince. Maybe she shouldn't kiss and tell, but how much fun would that be? 

"Luna, I've come to a decision," she announced suddenly with no indication of thought beforehand. Luna raised a kitty eyebrow as Serena stood up proudly, staring off to some imaginary point. 

"Oh? And what would that be?" 

"Darien and I… will be together forever!" 

Luna laughed to herself, jumping down onto one of the thick fluffy pillows. "With all you two have been through, I wouldn't be half surprised if you _were_ together forever." 

The blonde sighed happily, collapsing onto a chair with a fanciful dreaming expression. Her hands folded together on her lap as her head leaned back onto the neck of the chair. "Yeah…" she whispered, mostly to herself. The cat rolled her eyes, jumping off of the sofa. 

"When your friends get here, I'm going to go over to the arcade to check for any news on the Negaverse. Don't you worry and have fun. It's only a precaution." 

"Alright…" came a dreamy voice, and Luna wondered if she had been paying even the smallest amount of attention. _Most likely not._

DING-DONG! 

"Ooh!" Serena squealed, being torn from her unconscious state of mind and hopping to her feet. Luna followed her to the door and waited for it to open, revealing Raye standing on the other side, sleeping bag beneath one arm and gym bag tossed over her shoulder. 

"Hey Meatball Head!" she called joyfully as Serena reached to help her with her stuff. Luna slipped outside as the girls were immediately launched into excited chatter and laughter. 

Serena closed the door behind her, showing Raye into the living room. "I'm so glad you could come! Make yourself comfortable, okay? The others should be here any minute. Oh! I made some snacks for us if you want anything…" 

"Hm… not sure I trust anything from YOUR kitchen," the raven- haired girl teased gently, taking her seat on the large sofa and stealing a cookie anyway from the table. It was a bit crunchy, but she managed to shove it done without any complications. "So, what have you been up to today? Have you seen Darien at all?" 

Serena giggled, digging her toe into the carpet and was about to respond when the doorbell rang again and she excused herself to answer it. On the front porch she found Lita and Amy grinning happily, both with pillows and sleeping stuff. 

"Hey girls, come on in!" she welcomed, ushering them into the next room. 

"Thanks, Sere. Oh, hiya Raye!" Lita said cheerfully, dropping her stuff onto the floor. Raye smiled and waved at each of them as Amy sat next to her, helping herself to a handful of popcorn. Lita turned on her heels, only a bit clumsily with the crutch beneath one arm, to see Serena behind her and giddily held out a tray of brownies. "Made these this afternoon. Thought we might have a sweet tooth in the middle of the night!" 

Serena's blue eyes widened along with her mouth and she grabbed the plate from the tall girl. "I think I have a sweet tooth now!" she laughed, tearing off the plastic wrap and tossing one in her mouth before skipping to the center of the room and setting it on the coffee table with the rest of the goodies. 

DING-DONG! 

"Hey, that must be Mina!" Serena jogged back to the foyer. "Mina!" she shrieked happily as the other blonde strolled into the house, grabbing her in a friendly hug. 

"Hey Serena! Oh, you will never believe what happened to me today! This must be the best day of my life!" 

"Yeah? What's that? Oh, wait, don't tell me just yet, I have to introduce you to everyone first, okay?" Taking one of Mina's bags into her arms, Serena led her into the next room where she saw two girls sitting side by side on the couch and another munching away on a cookie while she looked through some games beneath the television set. "Okay, Mina, this is Ami, Raye, and Lita. Everyone, this is Mina!" 

They waved and shook hands, everyone becoming comfortable around the table as if they had been best friends for years. After all introductions, Serena turned to the model beside her. 

"So, why are you having such a good day?" 

Mina smiled instantly, sitting up straighter and inhaling a deep breath. "Well, first off, this morning I met this really CUTE guy named Adonis, and get this! He's going to be starring in a major film this summer as Action Ace, you know, the only other comic book character to match up with Sailor V! Then after lunch I was walking to my photo shoot and this cute little white cat started following me. Oh, he's just adorable. Hey, he actually looks like your cat, Serena, the one with the crescent moon. He has one, too, only, well… he's white. But anyway, my parents said that I could ACTUALLY keep him! They HATE animals! And then at the photo shoot, my agent told me that the movie I was going to be acting in is going to be shot here in Tokyo instead of the United States like we originally thought, so I won't have to leave! And lastly, I get to come here and hang out with all you guys! I'm just so happy, I know this is the best day in my life!" Finally taking in another deep breath, Mina let herself relax, peacefully closing her eyes for a moment. 

"Oh, that's wonderful Mina! All of it! I'm so happy for you!" exclaimed Serena joyfully, clasping her hands in front of her chest. 

"Yeah, me too. It all sounds great!" added Lita. 

"Wow, looks like this week has just been wonderful for everyone," said Raye cheerfully. "Did you guys hear?" 

"Hear what?" 

"Grandpa woke up this afternoon!" 

"Really?" 

"You're kidding!" 

"That's great!" 

Mina looked between them confusedly, bubbling inside from the obviously wonderful news but not really sure what to make of it. Raye laughed slightly at her confused stare. "My grandpa had been in a coma for about two weeks." 

"Oh, I see. Wow, that's wonderful then!" 

"Thanks." All grins, Raye turned to Serena, busy smiling at her new friends in mute happiness. "And then SERENA over there… how has YOUR day been, huh?" she prodded, urging a giggle and blush from the meatball head. 

Serena leaned back, placing her hands comfortably behind her head. After waiting a moment for suspense, she grinned secretively and whispered, "I saw Darien." 

Immediately, all the girls perked up, leaning forward excitedly, except for Mina who only raised an eyebrow. "Oh? And… whose Darien?" 

Eyeing her from the side, Amy, Raye, and Lita finally turned to Serena, grinning deviously. 

"Yes Serena, why don't you tell us all about dear Darien?" 

... 

"And so… I think… we're really serious, guys." Serena concluded, tiny hearts gleaming in her eyes. All the girls sighed, sprawled out across the furniture. 

"Wow… he sounds so romantic…" Mina whispered happily. Serena giggled, nodding her head vivaciously. 

"And he's VERY handsome," added Raye intelligently. 

They all sighed again, simultaneously. 

A long period of silence was pierced by a loud yawn from Lita. "Uh-oh, you guys, I'm already getting tired! Gossip wears you out more than I thought it would." 

"Lita's right, it is kind of late. Probably about midnight or so, right?" 

Serena leaned back over the arm of the couch to glance at the clock hanging in the kitchen. She gasped. "No way! It's nearly three in the morning!" 

"What? You're kidding!" 

"We've been up that long?" 

"Geez, no wonder we're exhausted." 

"Well, I guess maybe it's time we got ready for bed then, huh?" said Raye, almost disappointedly, though she couldn't stifle a following yawn. 

Immediately, they all slipped to their feet, beginning to straighten their sleeping bags across the floor. Lita grabbed the couch, claiming she needed it to prop her leg up on the arm. No one could very well argue with that, and so the other four willingly set out their stuff across the carpet. 

"Meow?" 

"Hm?" Serena glanced down to see Luna sitting beside her ankles, bright red eyes staring up at her innocently, and yet with a stern urgency beneath the auburn depths. _When did she get back?_

"Eh… I'll be right back, you guys. Gotta feed the cat before we crash!" Serena giggled, sweeping Luna into her arms before stampeding off toward the kitchen. The cat rolled her eyes. The girl never could lie very well. 

Reaching the kitchen, Serena glanced over her shoulder to make sure none of the girls were close by. Satisfied when she heard them start up a new conversation on a new movie, she turned to the calm feline, setting her down on the counter. 

"What is it Luna?" 

And immediately, the innocent glazed-over stare fell to seriousness, and Luna raised herself to a standing position (on all fours that is) and looked the blonde straight in the eye. "Serena, we have an emergency! Our sources and evidence tell us that Beryl is planning a new, much stronger attach against the earth! If she succeeds, the entire human race will be wiped out completely!" 

Serena stared down at the cat, blinking a couple times, before smiling widely. "Gee, Luna, don't be so over-dramatic! I'm sure that your 'sources' are wrong! I mean, I totally wiped out all of the generals, there's no way Beryl could have a completely new army already! For goodness sakes, you make it sounds like this is actually going to affect us!" She giggled to herself, turning to head back into the living room. 

"Stop right there, young lady!" 

"Huh?" She froze, not turning around. 

"Listen to me! Our sources are not mistaken! There will be an attack tomorrow morning. More like this morning, now! Think Serena, you are the only person who can save this planet, along with the people and animals living here." She paused, sitting down yet again. "That includes the girls, and Darien." 

She could see Serena's back straighten, her head raise slightly, and then her hands began to shake at her sides, before clenching into fists. The girl pursed her lips together momentarily, turning to her cat. They stared at each other for a long time, the noises from the next room drifting slowly into silence. 

Blinking back tears, she managed a nod. "If you're sure about this Luna, then there's no other choice. I'll go tonight. Sailor Moon will go tonight." 

Turning on her heels, she pasted a fake smile on and walked into the other room. 

Already the lights were off, though she could see the faint outlines of her friends as they lay cuddled in their sleeping bags. 

"Hey, are you guys asleep already?" she whispered, receiving three no's and an almost. She hesitated a moment. "Can I say one thing before we all go to bed?" 

"Sure," Mina yawned. 

"You see… it's just that… you guys… are… the best friends I've ever had. I just want to tell you… how much I love you." 

There was a long silence, and she finally began crawling into her own bag, not planning on sleeping that night. 

"We love you too, Serena." Ami's whisper was barely audible, but it was clear enough to bring a silent tear down Serena's cheek as her head collapsed onto the pillow. 

When heavy breathing danced across the moonbeams filtering through the open curtains, Serena wondered if that was the last she would ever hear from her best friends. 

... 

He sighed in his sleep, his lips parting unconsciously. Later he wouldn't remember what he dreamt of, though the tingling of warm lips on his own was present when he was started awake by a cool breeze that sent goose bumps across his bare chest. Slowly, long eyelashes drifted open, first seeing a fluttering white curtain as moonlight glittered down upon his carpet. As his mind lit to awareness, he sst up, stretching his legs. Had he left the window open? He couldn't remember. 

But as he swung his legs over the bed, feeling the rug slip between his toes, he saw someone move into the light. He paused, staring at the shape. Short, petite, slim, curved… two golden waterfalls on either side. 

"Huh? Serena, is that you?" 

The figure stopped, before inching forward. She watched his eyes widen in surprise, drifting over her figure, and she blushed, becoming grateful for the shadowed room. 

"And so my angel returns, this time in a playboy sailor suit," he chuckled, quickly figuring that this was a dream. In the morning he would find her once again in that cute little school outfit, much less revealing than the one she wore in this new fantasy. Then his eyes widened drastically, a small, goofy grin tugging at his lips. "Is… is this one of THOSE dreams?" he asked, too hopefully as Serena would later recall. 

But for the moment, she was motionless, in thought and body. Why had she come here? It would be so very hard to leave for her mission after looking upon his face. Though she knew she couldn't have left without saying goodbye. Without telling him… 

After a long silence, with him still staring at her with a silly smile, her mind finally registered what he had asked her, and her cheeks were stained yet again. After a moment of flustered coughing, she decided to dwell on the meaning behind that statement at a later, less urgent time. 

"Eh… no, Darien, this isn't… one of… those dreams. In fact, it's not a dream at all." 

He tilted his head to the side, raising an eyebrow in obvious disbelief. "Right… then what is my princess doing dressed up like a catholic school girl from Penthouse?" 

She blushed again, wrapping her arms around her self-consciously. _Goodness, he's kind of strange when he firsts wakes up. I'll have to remember this._

"Look, you don't have to believe me, but… listen, okay?" 

He stared at her silently, before shrugging. "Okay." 

She took a deep breath, beginning to walk over to the bed with every intention of sitting down, before deciding against that idea and starting to pace back and forth in front of him. "Alright. Listen carefully, because I don't have a lot of time and have to tell you a lot of things." She hesitated, looking up to see him staring at her curiously. Gulping, she tugged at her skirt, before continuing her promenade in the center of his bedroom. "Okay, from the top. I'm Sailor Moon. I doubt you know who that is, since you don't remember anything from before the accident, but basically, I'm a superhero who fights evil for love and justice. The fate of the world depends on me, the lives of many rest on my shoulders. Oh, just so you know, I'm quoting from what Luna told me when I first got roped into the job, I'm not really very good with speeches like this. Anyway, you used to be a superhero too: Tuxedo Mask. But we were attacked and you died. But then I used the Silver Imperium Crystal to bring you back to life. Er… I'll explain to you about the crystal some other time, it's a long story. So… you were revived, but lost all your memories of me and being Tuxedo Mask and of all the scouts… Oh, you don't know about the other scouts, do you? Oh well, I'll have to fill you in about that later too, I guess. But you see… well… we also knew each other in a past life. When I was princess of the moon, and you were prince of the Earth. We were engaged then, but Beryl destroyed our kingdoms and killed both of us, until we were reborn here and now, to fight back at her, and this time, hopefully, we'll win. Which brings me to now. Beryl is attacking again, and since you and the scouts don't know how to fight yet, I have to go face her on my own. But don't worry about me, alright? I'll be fine, really, a total cinch! I mean, really, how tough could this witch possibly be, after all? I'm Sailor Moon, for goodness sakes, and I will overcome all evil. Trust me on that one, haven't lost a battle yet! So you have no reason to be scared about me, that's all. I'll come back without so much as a scratch, you'll se…" Serena turned on her heels for the fiftieth time, and froze, her jaw hanging open with the last word. Her eyes drifted up his bare chest to see cool blue eyes looking down on her with unreadable emotions. She gulped. 

For a long time he stared at her, just like that. Not moving, hardly even breathing. She could feel tears rise to the surface and blinked them back as much as she could. A startled squeal erupted from her lips as strong arms suddenly wrapped around her, pulling her to his warm body. She froze, feeling his arms caress her back gently, his head rest upon her hair. So slowly, her eyes closed and tears slid past the barriers. 

Darien held her tightly, combing his fingers through her hair, kissing the top of her head tenderly. He hadn't understood one word she had just said to him. Not one, and he still had his doubts that this was real. But either way, dream or no dream, his angel was scared, nervous, in pain. And it tore at his heart mercilessly. He shushed her whimpering, letting butterfly kisses drift over her forehead and temples. After a long silence, she began to cease shaking, gasping for air. 

His skin felt so warm to her, so smooth and soft. And he still smelled of roses… always… 

Clenching her teeth, she pried herself away enough to look up at him. Continuously, he stared down on her, confused and innocent. She couldn't help but smile through the glossy stare she held, sniffling a few times. He grinned crookedly back at her. 

"Darien, I have to go. I can't stay here too much longer… I hope you understand." 

He was silent for a long time, before nodding slightly, bringing up a finger to trace down the salt trail on her flushed cheek. Placing both his hands between her jaw and neck, he moved his face to hers, brushing their lips together. She shuddered, instinctively moving forward. 

"Be careful…" He didn't know quite why he said that, and yet it seemed like the right thing to tell her at that moment. For some reason, the words scared him. Why would she need to be careful? Why was she so scared? 

The words seemed to have shocked her as much as they had him, and her crystalline eyes stared widely up at him. Eventually, they softened though, and she tilted her head up in a half nod. Gulping once, she slipped herself out of his arms, walking shakily to the open sliding glass door she had come through. With her hand on the frame, she stopped, hesitated, and turned to him. He was watching her patiently. 

"Darien… there's one more thing I have to tell you before I go…" 

He didn't reply, still staring back in silent confusion. 

"In case I never get the chance to tell you this again… I… I love you. I always have, Darien… and no matter what happens, I always will." Her voice cracked at the end of her declaration, and with tears boiling to the surface again, she turned and fled from the window, running across roofs and through alleys as quick as she could. 

Darien was rooted to the spot as he stared out the door, the white draperies continually flapping with the chilled wind. He felt as though there was something he should be doing. 

Shaking his head, he returned to the only logical explanation. It was a dream. Slumping into bed, he pulled the covers up to his chin, never bothering to close the window. A faint yellow light was already glowing at the horizon, and he let the image cover him as his eyes closed tiredly. 

In the back of his mind, he heard her words, and smiled. 

"I love you too, Meatball Head." 

No one would ever know he spoke those words that night, not even himself, for his mind gave way to sleep the second they escaped him. 

... 

Tell me what you're thinking!  
Ali-chan 


	6. I Fight for Love

A Million Kisses - Chapter Six  
Alicia Blade 

May 2005 ANs: Okay, I'm back! Sorry for the long wait on this, but the admins were mad at me for posting songfics. Sad panda. But chapter seven should be following soon! Thank you SO much for your reviews! I feel much better and promise not to pout anymore for awhile.

I considered shortening this chapter but was talked out of it. There's a lot of fighting and not a lot of romance, but I hope it helps to characterize Serena a bit. And I promise the last chapter will be full of sap! 

... 

Original ANs:   
Hope you all had a very merry Christmas and that your prayers and wishes were all answered! This is the first really VIOLENT thing I have ever written, so bear with me. Hope it's not overboard. I don't know when I'll be able to have chapter 7 out, but I'll try hard, k? Thanks go to Moon Klutz and of course, my partner in crime, Lady S. Heeeh, just joshin'. Though in this chapter, Serena does gets to play MaGyver and Rambo. Tee hee… 

God bless and tell me what you think! 

_ "My covenant will I not break, nor alter the thing that is gone out of my lips. We must keep in mind people that these prophecies were spoken into existence by the most Loving Father of all time for His children so they may be prepared!"_   
- Psalms 89:34 

Chapter Six  
I Fight for Love

She couldn't remember being so cold. She didn't imagine that she would remember the feeling when this was all over, either, for it would be far too painful to be thought of at a later time. 

But at that moment, the icy chills cutting through her skin were all her mind could focus on. _Pain_ didn't really describe it, for pain would have been welcome in comparison. But instead, it was a dim discomfort coated in blowing stings and piercing knives of metal ice. Like a paper cut: not deep enough to be considered a true sore, but more terrible than a bleeding wound. Her body was covered in the cuts, refusing to show themselves upon her skin, slowly turning bluish red, to tell her it was truly pain and not simply a setback. 

Her whimpering gave her a sense of selfishness, and she hated it. Setting her jaw firmly upon her collarbone, she clenched her fists together, tightening the skin upon her face. Her lips pursed, numbly chewing into the soft tissue, and her legs carried her forward into the dull whiteness of the incessant storm. 

Perhaps what she dreaded most was the scratchy, sandpaper texture within her throat. The biting air had torn at it as she walked through the endless blizzard, and now she dreaded each new breath, flinching every time at the near unbearable pain soaring down her neck and into her lungs. 

Her cheek filled with numbness and dull, far-away stinging as she felt her knees bend unwillingly and she collapsed to the rocky snow beneath. Even the ground was awful, not feathery and light as she was used to wintertime landscapes being. A groan of anguish lifted from her dried lips as her burning eyes locked tight for a moment. This shouldn't be so hard, she knew. Not even had she reached the palace and her body was giving up on her. If only they were here… If only… 

Her neck turned swiftly as she forced herself to shake her head. She wouldn't think of them, wouldn't dwell on those things right now. At this time, at this moment, she would continue forward, her strength lying in the knowledge that they were at home, warm in their beds. Or sleeping bags, in most cases. 

Digging her elbows into the ice saturated frost, she began to push herself upward, managing to open her eyes for a brief moment. But shortly afterwards, that brief moment turned into an all-out, stunned gawking as her eyes resumed their path over the horizon. 

There, not forty yards ahead of her, was a great, shimmering castle. Looming and treacherous, seemingly even colder than the atmosphere she dreaded now. From the towers and cracks and crevices arose great bellows of thick, black smoke, wispy trains of ominous clouds stretching fingers toward the blank, white sky. 

But this is not what scared her, nor caught her attention. For there, lined up in rows upon rows in front of the gated entrance to the castle, stood hundreds of grotesque, bloody, pupil-less zombies, with bodies like those of decaying skeletons. Some limped, their backs hunched in impossible twists of the spine. Others stood almost gallantly; their yellowing teeth grinning with the end of a sword blade held between spider webbed fingers. So many, with no emotions, no life, no souls buried within the thoughtless skulls, and every last one faced in her direction. 

Her blue eyes widened, a small squeak escaped her lips as her lungs contracted. There stood one in the front, another skeleton, yellow against the white snow. It wore a tattered gray uniform, like that of the previous negamoon generals, and raised its head in her direction. The chattering teeth seemed to smile, and it raised an arm. Serena tensed, clenching her fingers together. All the zombies turned to her, and had they had eyes, she was sure they would have been burrowing holes through the taught material of her thin armor. 

With a swift movement, the leader dropped it's arm, and instantly, every last one of the fatal creatures straightened before raising their weapons and rushing toward her as one mass of gruesome death. 

Serena's breath caught, and her body forgot the cold surrounding her, stood, turned, and ran. She knew beyond the shadow of a doubt that there was no way she could defeat them, not all of them together at once. Her legs burned with energy they did not contain as she skidded over icy hills, her arms thrashing at the snowflakes falling around her. Painful breaths turned to smoky fog, mixing with the piercing wind. Biting her lower lip, she turned, being met with the sight of an army of soldiers, easily catching up with her. It was obvious that the cold had no effect on their skinless bodies, and she realized what a disadvantage she was at. Whimpering, she grabbed at her tiara in desperation, pulling it behind her and chanting the words that flowed instantly to her mouth. Gritting her teeth, she let it fly toward the mob. Her eyes became watery when only six were knocked down, their bones separating and falling to a jumbled mess on the landscape. 

Turning, she fled again, beginning to surge with hopeless power. She stumbled on hidden hills, pushed herself away from the biting tundra again and again. After only a few short moments, her lungs gave way, panting heavily, forcing her throat to close against the shrill outside air. 

"No…" she choked, reaching the top of a large hill. Every hill seemed large to her, though this one was especially treacherous. Inside, she felt she had lost, without so much as putting a dent into Beryl's defenses. Collapsing to her knees, raw from the countless shafts of ice she had stumbled upon in her escape, she turned to the army. They marched quickly, and now were only 10 yards from her. 30 feet and still continuing. She saw the leader raise its heavy blade into the air as it approached her, its terrifying teeth grinning demonically upon its prey. 

Serena felt her head go light, a tear freeze upon her cheek. She tried to urge her legs to stand, but they wouldn't move. Her mind sensed the battle in her eyes droop to heavy regret, and she let her gaze turn to blackness. Pushing back with her hands, she let her body collapse completely beneath her, and she fell to the ground, limply rolling down the hill away from her attackers. They would find her soon, but they would find her dead, she told herself as every nerve in her body turned to a numb stream of unfeeling. She could still feel snow passing beneath her, but couldn't force herself to stop her descent down the small glacier, delighting in the slap against her face once she finally ceased her fall, and her head went limp as well, falling to the ice below. 

The trudging of soldiers echoed above her, to her back, and she knew she was facing down hill. A cracking sound was heard beneath her, like wood splitting. She ignored it. But it happened again, louder, nearer this time. Then again and again, louder still. She forced her eyelids to open to a blurry haze and looked at the ground, almost level with her stare. Slowly, it seemed to be splitting into a large hole around her body, like an earthquake. 

"Hm?" she mumbled, carelessly. But suddenly, she was falling, and her lips permitted a startled scream to escape. After a moment, her body awoke with a stiff thud as it collided with a hard, concrete floor. Her head throbbed and a moan left her, her mind working desperately to realize what had happened. Looking up, she heard a soft clang as the hole through which she had fallen through slammed shut, hinged on one side. A trap door. 

"Who would put a trap door there?" she mumbled quietly, letting her head fall once again to the floor. Her body was numb and tired, yet already being pressed with warmth. The pile of snow she lay upon, that had fallen with her, was already beginning to melt into a puddle of slush, her breath no longer stung, no longer condensed to a puff of smoke in front of her face. She tried to move, first her fingers, before slowly stretching her arm up to her head to feel the base of her head. It was damp, but warm, and she knew she was bleeding. Groaning again, she settled her head down upon her arm. Was she out of danger? Perhaps for the time being. Her eyes were dreary, her gaze blurred, and the few fire torches on the walls provided little light. Letting her eyelids close momentarily, she listened as thousands of feet trampled over the ground above, the door shaking as they passed over it, but not one ever pausing in the slightest of hesitation. The snow must have already been replaced by the blizzard. 

Sighing, she opened her eyes again. By luck she had escaped. Inside, she hoped that the worst was over, but doubted it. 

"Just need… to find Beryl." She coaxed her arms into moving, pushing up at the ground, until she could sit. Her clothes were soaked, her hair matting itself to her arms and legs, the usually soft bangs sticky against her forehead. Already, feeling was returning, and she shivered, goose bumps once again covering her skin. 

After a long moment of staring at the ceiling, the stone walls around her, she let out a sigh of anguish. She would have to continue on, she knew. Chewing on her lip, she managed to bend her knees, before ever so slowly pushing herself onto wobbly legs. She gritted her teeth, falling onto the closest wall for support. Her lungs grabbed for breath that moments ago they didn't want, and she stood there a long while, simply struggling for the needed energy. Leaning against the wall, she let her eyes drift to the ceiling. 

"How am I ever going to defeat Beryl like this? I can barely even stand…" 

"Well you won't have to defeat Beryl, little girl…" whispered a raspy voice from the shadows. Serena's eyes widened and she searched the corner the voice had come from. "Because I'm going to kill you first!" 

"Huh?" 

Sailor Moon had little time to think before a flash of red lunged at her. A scream echoed down the corridor and she dodged out of the way, just in time. Her body collapsed to the pavement below, throbbing with every new encounter with the ground she experienced. Turning over, she looked up at her assailant, letting her eyes analyze it, or her. 

It was definitely a woman, with the uncovered body to prove it. Only a maroon red bikini over her skin, with a high collar to cover her neck and dress cuffs around each of her wrists. Tall stiletto heels made her seem much taller than she probably was, and her hair was short and full, almost like Amy's. From her forehead erupted a pair of white, bird like wings and two scars in the center of them. Her skin was pale pink, from forehead to ankles, and her eyes coal black. Thin red lips turned into an evil grin as Serena stared at her in mute fear, her hands shaking against the floor. 

"Who… who are you?" 

"I'm Fuega from the Doom and Gloom Girls. Queen Beryl is fed up with you, sailor twit, especially after you killed Master Malachite. Now I'm going to be your doom!" 

Fuega raised her hands above her head, screaming brutally, before pushing her palms in Serena's direction, emitting a great blast of flame from her hands. Sailor Moon squealed and dodged again, sliding along the smooth floor. She could feel the heat from the nearby flames reach out for her legs, and barely avoided it. Squeezing her eyes shut, she jumped to her feet and swiveled around, just in time to lunge out of the path of another bolt of sizzling red fire. She landed against a wall, her eyes narrowing in thought. She wouldn't be able to keep this up for long. Snarling her lips back, she lowered her head to glare up at Fuega. How rude to sneak up on her like this when she was so weak! 

_An escape… I need an escape… There's no way I can run forever, and she would be able to outrun my tiara easily._

As another blast flew from the enemy's fingertips, Serena ducked away, sliding along the wall. One of the flames licked at her hair, singing the ends of one ponytail. She screamed involuntarily, running quicker. Breathing hard, she slammed her back against another wall, looking up at the villain in fear. Fuega's black eyes were glinting down at Serena, the tight lips pulled back into an almost-smile. Gulping, Sailor Moon began to sink down, her knees bending beneath her. Her entire body began to shake. 

_If the scouts were here, I'm sure they could kill her easily. Amy with her water… or even Raye could destroy her. Fight fire with fire…_

Her head lowered just as a tear began to press against her eyelid and slip down. Fuega sensed the spirit of losing and smiled. Pulling her hand back, she prepared the last tongue of fire in her palm. 

"Now you will die Sailor Moon." 

_Fight fire… with fire…_

"Hm?" Steadily, Serena's eyes opened. From the corner of her eyes, she could see orange light flickering across the floor. Her gaze widened, her head still lowered. "Fight fire… fight…" she whispered to herself. Suddenly, her eyes lifted, smiling proudly in a threat to the woman before her. 

"I doubt that!" 

Fuega froze in surprise. Her mouth opened in shock as she saw the sailor-suited girl seethed with energy, stood and grabbed at a torch on the wall. Her brow furrowed, her lips pressing together. Instantly, she thrust her hand forward, letting the flames dance toward the wall, but they only hit empty air and a stone wall. 

"Huh?" 

"Over here!" 

Just as the Doom and Gloom Girl turned to face the voice, she felt a burning heat sear through her back. A shrill scream erupted from her lips as the pain moved up over her body. The torch hit her hand, her legs, and she fell to the ground, cringing in pain. 

Serena, seeing that she was permanently disabled, let the torch fall to the ground beside her, licking at her skin and hair. She was trembling too much to even try to move. With only a moment of pity filling her, Serena raced down the corridor. Once turning, she saw a great fire spitting up toward the ceiling, the woman trapped in its embrace. 

Gulping, she turned and ran. 

... 

Breathing a long sigh of relief, Serena stumbled a few more steps before collapsing to the ground. Somewhere along the way it had changed from a dull gray concrete to white and gray marble and she knew she was nearing the center of the palace. The fight with Fuega had strangely helped her strength instead of diminishing it. Suddenly, with adrenaline coursing through her veins, Sailor Moon was feeling like the champion of justice yet again. 

The torches on the walls had become more common, lighting the dim hallways and keeping dangerous shadows at bay. Serena was grateful for this. Really, things were beginning to look up. The only current downfall being the continuous aching in her right leg, from when she had fallen from the door in the snow. Her hair was beginning to shine again, not so filthy and matted, and her skin had returned to a healthy glow. Her arms were tired, but not completely useless, and though her right shoulder seemed sore, it was quickly healing. She only hoped that she wouldn't come to anymore Negaverse enemies for awhile. 

Closing her eyes, Serena sat up in the middle of the corridor, letting her breath catch up with her. Her heart raced treacherously, skipping a beat at every ignored sound through the chambers. Her dried throat let out a painful moan as her fingers began to rub over the calf of her sore leg, massaging the blood back into it. Her blue eyes drifted open and she looked around at her surroundings. The hall took a swift turn to the right directly ahead of her and she could tell nothing of the distance past that point, other than there were more torches sending light flickering across the walls and floor. She swept an arm across her forehead before picking herself up from the ground. Straining her legs against their will, she forced her knees to lock tight, clenching her fists into balls while her senses collected within her head. Chewing on her lower lip, she proceeded, at a much calmer speed, down the bending trail. 

Chilled fingers stroked along the smooth wall as she turned around the bend. Her brow furrowed at the obvious change in environment. Passing just down the short end of the hallway, she saw it open up into a very large, high-roofed, circular room. The walls were bare, perfectly smooth marble without any signs of aging or wear. She imagined it to be about 60 feet from where she stood to the other wall, and about 30 up to the ceiling. Attached to the walls, with 10 foot intervals between each sat a multitude of burning, fiery torches, illuminating the one terrifying aspect of the large cell. 

Within the center, with an estimated 30 foot diameter, sat a dark, ominous pit, barely lit by the glowing embers around it. 

Serena froze, moving to the closest wall to lean against it. Gulping, she looked around a bit more, searching for the next exit. 

And found none. 

A small whimper escaped her lips and she turned to head back along the hall, but stopped herself. She had seen no other walkways, no other escapes. Her heart thumping painfully against her chest, she pivoted again, looking over all surroundings once again. Her eyes rose to the ceiling, met with something they had not noticed before. In the middle, directly above the pit, was the outline of a round door, with hinges on every side, cut like a pie that would open from the center into different triangular panels. Her brow furrowed. What would be the use of that? There was no way anyone could get up there… 

Shaking her head, she lowered her gaze once again to the centerpiece of the room. Gulping, she reached for the nearest torch and grasped her hand around the metal cone base. With shaky steps she neared the hole, peering over the edge. As she came closer, she lowered herself onto her knees, her free hand grasping the rim as her neck craned forward to see what the torch shed light upon. Her eyes drunk in gray walls and empty blackness. Nibbling the inside of her cheek, she pushed the light out as far as she could, before releasing it and letting it fall from her hold. There was silence as she watched the light become smaller, before a soft clang was heard and the light was extinguished. 

"Too far to jump…" she mumbled aloud, letting her shoulders sag. Her memory serving to show the above door as her only escape, she let her gaze wander upward. Gasping, she stumbled to her feet, her eyes locked on the ceiling. Slowly, without the slightest sound, the panels opened above her, coming down to reveal a large, blackened hole above. Setting her legs straight, she readied herself for a fight. "Those aren't opening by themselves…" she whispered quietly. 

"You're quite right about that, Ms. Moon." Her eyes flew to the other side of the room, to see another woman standing on the ground on the far end of the pit. 

_How did she get there!_

The newcomer was dressed like Fuega had been, only this one with bright orange skin, a brown bathing suit, and crimped, waist-length gray hair. She also had a pair of clear, veined dragonfly wings behind her and in her hands she held a glowing ball of static energy, sizzling in front of her uncovered stomach. Her red lips curved evilly, black charcoal eyes smiling back at her. 

"I'm Electra, and I have a surprise for you…" she taunted in a singsong voice. Serena tensed, her fingers twitching in readiness to reach for her tiara. Electra's eyes darted upwards, her smile growing, and Serena heard what sounded like turning gears. She creased her brow, not daring to remove her attention from the immediate enemy. That sphere of power could come soaring at her at any minute. 

From the corner of her eye, she began to see a dark form lower from the door above. As it came nearer to ground level, she unconsciously began to form an image in her mind. Her heart beat skipped and her eyes unwillingly lifted to the form. 

"Darien!" she screamed, her entire body tensing, her bones surging with power, ready to go grab onto the man hanging from tied hands in the center of the pit. He was unconscious, his hair drooping over closed eyes, his wrists pulled above his head to hold him there with a thick green vine. His body looked drained and weak, draped with his normal green jacket and black jeans. Serena gulped. "How… why…?" 

"That's right, girly, we've kidnapped your precious boyfriend. Now, how do you say we fight for him?" Electra teased, the ball of energy sparking momentarily, hissing at its owner and enemy. 

Serena managed in keeping stinging tears hidden within their ducts, her mind ignoring logic and searching for any means to get him down. 

"Sailor Moon…" his voice was pained and dry, and her entire body filled with energy. A startled scream echoing from her mouth, Serena reached for her tiara, running forward, all fear forgotten, she leaped into the air. Later, She wouldn't know really what she did or how she did it. She remembered tying her arm about his strong waist, the other slicing at the entangling vines with her tiara, and continuing to fly with him in her grasp until they both collapsed onto the hard floor, directly opposite the pit where she had jumped from. 

Electra raised her eyebrow, the ball of energy calming. "Very impressive." 

Ignoring her, Serena smoothed Darien's cheek, tears beginning to seep down her cheek. "Darien… Darien wake up, are you okay?" 

He groaned, and slowly, his eyes opened. Serena gasped, instantly dropping his head from her lap. "Wha…" 

"Oh, I'm fine, Sailor Moon," he spoke, his voice turning raspy. His eyes glared up at her, pits of hidden blackness. Serena screamed, backing away as his skin began to melt away from his skeleton. Her entire body quivered as she stumbled backwards, only ceasing her escape as her heel felt the edge of the pit. 

The form of the new creature was beginning to look quite familiar to Serena, with the revealing bikini, airline stewardess wings bulging from the forehead, and bright colored skin, this time a lime green. Her jungle green, almost black hair smoothed down to her knees, at almost the same length as her shimmering wings behind her. 

"Come to join the fun, Parra?" 

The green girl glanced at her ally, smiling innocently. "Hey, I'm just going along with the plan, Sis!" Winking, she pulled her fingers back, before aiming them in a stunned Serena's direction. Instantly, five plant vines shot from her limbs, tangling around Serena and tying her arms to her sides. She screamed, her mind reeling with the turn of events. She struggled desperately to free herself, only ceasing her attempts as the two women began to cackle at her. 

"Hm…" hummed Parra, rubbing her chin with her free hand, "Do you think we should kill her now, or let Beryl handle this?" 

Electra smiled, placing her hands on her hips. "I think her majesty has more important matters to think about than this scrawny ditz… oh, I'm sorry, your HIGHNESS!" Laughing, she bowed to Serena mockingly, her eyes staring up at her. Parra laughed along, releasing the vines from her fingers. Without their support, Serena fell down to her knees. 

"Well, well, look who's bowing to who!" Parra giggled. 

"Yes, she's begging us for mercy!" 

Electra raised her hand, face upward, as another ball of golden energy began to form within her palm. "What do you say we put this wench out of her misery?" 

Parra smiled as well, a series of vines growing along her left arm down to her fingers, emerging from the florescent green skin. "Sounds good to me…" 

Serena's eyes darted between the two, her breathing quick. Her arms shifted, but only managed in rubbing against the tight hold of the binding stems, cutting into her flesh. Her teeth bit down on her lip painfully and her tongue recognized the taste of blood. 

"No… I won't give up…" she muttered, prying any last traces of power within her. The two above her only laughed at their victim's helplessness. 

"She's still fighting." 

"Not for long." 

Parra's fist clenched, Electra's arm swung back and Serena was forced to look away and await her death. Hope was becoming slim and minimal, and tears were streaking her face. 

"I'm… Sailor Moon… I can fight… this evil…" Her false words drowned in the crackling of Electra's weapon. Her heart beating furiously against her ribs seemed the only thing real at that moment, and her mind urged her to try something, anything, instead of just sitting there and awaiting destiny. 

Squeezing her eyes shut, Serena nodded her head once, before hurtling to her feet and running forward into Electra, head-butting her in the gut. She screamed, her electric ball falling to the ground to spark and die. 

"Hey, ya little brat!" 

Turning, she saw a storm of weeds flying in her direction, and dropped to the ground, before rolling in Parra's direction. 

"What the… Ay!" She screamed and tripped over Serena's rolling form, colliding face-first with the marble floor. 

Slithering to her feet, Serena was just about to kick her when a hand clamped over her mouth, another clenching tightly on her arm. "Why you dirty urchin…" Electra growled, her hold tightening. Serena closed her eyes, opened her mouth, and snapped at the offered fingers. Her attacker screamed, withdrawing instantly and Sailor Moon began to run as quick as her restraints would let her to the hallway on the other side of the pit. "She bit me! The little mongrel bit me!" 

A furious Parra rose to her feet, turning around to see her seething sibling glaring at the girl, attempting to escape. Her gaze narrowed. "Why that little…" She clamped her fists at her sides, vines sneaking through her veins as she watched the blond soldier. Her stare darted to Electra, and catching her gaze, she nodded. 

Turning, each began to walk to the other girl, strolling in different directions around the pit at a leisurely pace as they collected energy within their grasp. 

"You can run down the hallway and we can fight you there, or you can stay and die proudly," Electra taunted, electricity boiling through her nerves. 

But to their surprise, Serena didn't run down the corridor, but instead stopped directly outside the exit and turned to watch them slowly nearing her, not even a fourth way in their approach yet. Gulping, she backed up to the wall, feeling an empty torch holder against her back. It was little more than an iron ring jutting from the wall, but she hoped would serve her purpose nicely. Inhaling a quick breath, she backed up on it, catching a vine in its grasp, before falling down to the floor. Her eyes shimmered hopefully as she felt the twine fall to the floor, and her arms were free. Immediately shaking off the rest of the ties, she rubbed at her skin efore gazing up to the progressing adversaries. Parra narrowed her eyes as her weapon was shed from Serena's body, before a smooth grin enveloped her face. 

"So maybe she's not as dumb as we thought. But don't worry, I've got plenty to spare…" she hissed, a branch crawling over her shoulder for added affect. Serena gulped, analyzing the situation. _Nowhere to go… Two enemies, much stronger… preparing attack as we think…_

They were nearly half way to her now, almost exactly opposite themselves around the pit. 

Serena gulped. "I hate desperation…" she muttered. 

Her body tensing, she bent her knees and began to dash toward the pit, her eyes aimed at the still dangling vine hanging from the center of the above doorway. 

Electra gasped. "Hey! She's gonna try to climb up the rope!" 

Parra only laughed though. "Not if I can help it." 

Serena had no chance as she grabbed onto the green rope and instantly, before she realized what was happening, was caught up in it as it wrapped itself around her wrists. Parra chuckled. "Try to get away from that, Sailor Twit!" 

Serena cried out in anguish. "So… close…" Her body shook desperately, trying to escape, but she knew it was no use. Her head swinging from side to side could see both Doom and Gloom Girls preparing their attacks, staring up at her like savage dogs. Her head sunk, only one tiny ounce of assurance filtering through her thoughts. 

Parra and Electra jumped into the air, their wings beating furiously at the air as they aimed their attacks at the dangling princess. Serena groaned, slamming her eyes shut. She could hear war calls erupt from each of the women's mouths and braced herself. Her hands reaching up to tie around the vine, she kicked at the air, gracefully pushing herself forward to flip over in a mid-air somersault, her legs wrapping around the rope. She hung upside down now, the blood already rushing to her head, her eyes still closed. 

The Girls froze, instantly regretting their released attack. Serena could hear their screams and hoped she had achieved her goal. The screams died into the air and when she finally opened her eyes, she could see the lifeless body of Electra with vines tied tightly about her body and neck, sink down to the ground, landing with a loud thud against the marble. On her other side, Sailor Moon saw nothing but a cloud of ashes spread in the air. She sighed loudly. 

Stretching to a somewhat more comfortable position, she set to untying the vine from her wrist, struggling to pry it apart until finally she could slide her hands away. A headache pounding at her temples, she swung herself right-way up, taking only a second to breathe regularly before climbing clumsily up the rope. 

Upon reaching the entrance to the large trap door, she swung herself from side to side, easily leaping to the safe platform. Once there, she looked around to make sure there were no signs of life, before scooting to a dark corner of the strangely rectangular room, and plunging into unconsciousness. 

... 

Serena flinched, rolling onto her side. A gentle nudge in her side had rudely awakened her and she swapped at it with a tired arm, refusing to open her eyes. It poked into her rips harder, and she moaned loudly, backing away from it and feeling her back hit a hard wall. She furrowed her brow, but her dim thoughts refused to let her remember the past hours. Until a small giggle was heard above her, Serena refused to even care. 

Slowly, Sailor Moon let her eyelids open, grateful that the room was dark and no instant light flooded her senses. Her eyes began to slowly focus on a pair of dark purple stilettos on violet feet, and violet legs. Her neck twisted upward, straining the taunt muscles and she could see a woman in a dark bathing suit with long curly brown hair hovering above her. 

She groaned, bringing her hand up to rub over her temples. "Not another one." 

The girl giggled, taking a step back. "Good morning, I'm Blade, and it's time for you to rise and shine, sweetie. It won't be any fun to kill you if you're just going to lay there the whole time." 

The blonde smiled, letting her head fall back down to the floor, closing her eyes. "Well in that case, I won't get up then." 

Blade only laughed. "Oh, I imagine you will." 

Serena raised an eyebrow, eventually opening her eyes again. The first thing she saw was a silver streak slicing through the air toward her. She screeched and, with surprising energy, bolted out of the way, jumping to her feet and dodging out of danger. Pausing, she gasped for breath, hunched over with her hand clutching her chest. Suddenly, the woman's laughter became evident and she turned just in time to see her pull a short knife from between the cracks of the stone wall. Sailor Moon gulped, before standing up straight and tossing her hands on her hips. 

"Hey, what's the big idea! You said you wouldn't kill me if I didn't get up!" 

The woman shrugged, tying her hands behind her back. "And you got up, didn't you?" 

Serena pursed her lips angrily, biting her cheek behind her mouth. "How cruel…" she whispered, more disturbed by the thought that she'd been woken up than almost killed. Again, the lady only giggled. 

"Well, if I'm not mistaken, you're responsible for the deaths of three of my sisters, true?" 

Serena huffed her shoulders, folding her arms over her chest. "It was self defense! They tried to kill me first!" 

"Oh, I don't doubt it, those were our orders," said Blade casually. "And honestly, I won't miss those three. They were always stealing my makeup." She pouted momentarily, before perking up joyfully. "But what does it matter now? After you're dead, Beryl will most definitely award me with anything I want, and I won't have to share at all! Sounds like a good deal, right?" 

Running a hand through her bangs, Serena smirked. "And what makes you think you can succeed where the others failed?" 

Smiling, Blade brought her hands around to her sides, one resting on her hip while the other brushed a strand of hair away from her shoulder. "You'll see in a moment." Her voice became raspy, an obvious evil undertone choking her sweet voice, and Serena clenched her fists, lowering herself to a fighting position. Blade raised an eyebrow, pulling her right hand over her shoulder, ready to throw the knife. Serena braced herself, grating her teeth together. Only when Blade's arm moved, soaring forward, the knife flying in her direction, did the heroine move, straightening her legs and leaping high into the air. She performed a flip, an easy maneuver Luna had taught her, and landed behind Blade, facing her back. She never saw it coming… 

Blade swung her left arm back, the other knife still held in her palm, listening to the girl's scream as she felt her weapon cut into flesh. Never even bothering to turn, she withdrew her weapon, smiling down on the recent bloodstains. 

"You shouldn't be so predictable, Sailor Moon," she teased, walking casually to a far wall to pick up her lost knife. 

Serena couldn't hold back a choked sob, sinking down to her knees as painful tears crawled to her eyes. She glanced down, her hand pressing up against the wound, and slowly removed it. She whimpered again at her bloody palm, streaks seeping between her fingers. Her entire arm throbbed and she saw the wound, dark maroon red, almost black. She gritted her teeth, lowering her head angrily. She heard the opponent's footsteps pause before turning to her, the high heels clicking against the marble floor. 

"That's quite a bad wound you have there," taunted her innocent voice. "Would you like another?" 

Serena gasped at the feel of a cold blade pressed up to the base of her chin, slowly lifting her head up. The woman's coal black eyes shone down on her, one hand on her waist while the other mocked her with the fatal weapon so close to her neck. Sailor Moon's lip trembled, and she began to back away from her, fear throbbing in her mind. 

"Just… just leave me alone…" she pleaded pathetically. Blade laughed, tossing locks of hair from her face. 

"You're asking for mercy? The… warrior of love and… JUSTICE is begging me for mercy? I never thought I'd see the day…" 

Serena felt another tear slip down her cheek and was too frightened to wipe it away. She was tired, wounded, achy, and only wanted to go home. Continuously sliding backward, she soon found the cold wall at her back, and she let her head sink down again. 

"I never asked for any of this…" she whispered to herself. "I never wanted to be Sailor Moon. I never wanted to fight anyone… I just… want to live in a quiet world… with my friends… with Darien…" Her voice cracked and she sobbed again, lost momentarily in her own small world of pity. 

"We never ask for these things, girly. But sometimes you just have to take it as it comes, not as such an irresponsible crybaby," she hissed. Shaking, Serena looked up at her, seeing both arms crossed in front of her chest. Angrily, she swiped an arm across her face, unconsciously mixing the tears with drying blood, and raised to wobbly knees. 

Sailor Moon clenched her teeth angrily, leaning up against the wall, one hand still clasped over her wound. "You don't understand. I have been stronger than anyone in the world. I have given up so much, and every time I've felt weak, I only become stronger because of it. You don't know me. You'll never know me, or what I go through!" 

Blade stared into her eyes unwaveringly. "Boohoo, cry me a river," she whispered beneath her breath, walking forward slowly and raising one knife to point at Serena's throat. The smaller girl shrunk back slightly, but hid all signs of fear well behind seething anger. "You're right, I never will know you. Because you're about to become nothing more than a memory." 

Serena closed her eyes, her energy slowly draining, and let her body slump against the wall. Soon, she could feel the cold sting of metal against her throat, and shivered, ignoring another tear sliding down her cheek. 

The woman grinned sardonically, tightening her hold on the knife, ready to slash forward at any moment. 

But she stopped. 

A warm hand rested gently on her own now, soft, gloved, gentle. She frowned mentally at the young girl's persistence, and her sudden loss of composure. Looking up, she saw that Sailor Moon was staring at her again, emotionless, her unwounded arm hanging at her side limply. Blade raised a questioning eyebrow. 

"Think that will stop me?" 

"Yes," the child whispered, almost inaudibly. Blade held back controlled laughter. "Because there's still many things you don't know about me, Blade. And one is that I have a lot of people back home, counting on me. I can't lose. Because if I lose, they do too. And I won't let that happen." Her voice was calm the entire time, rendering Blade almost speechless. She stared back into a cool blue gaze, damp from recent tears. So mature at that moment, with a friendly hold still on her hand, and she could only stare. 

"So…" she finally managed to stutter, her voice dry. "You are the princess, after all. I was beginning to doubt it." 

Serena only returned her gaze for a long time, ignoring the throbbing in her arm. Her mind continued to play visions of Darien, Raye, Amy, Mina, and Lita, all so happy and joyful, with her… She kept them in her heart, always, she knew. They would get her through this. 

"I'll give you a choice. Take me to Beryl now… or die." 

Blade hesitated and Serena wondered if she would take her to the queen after all. _Obviously not…_ she thought as a smirk crawled onto her enemy's lips. 

"Right…" she taunted disbelieving. "I'm shaking." 

Serena gulped, clenching her teeth together, and could already feel dreadful tears rising again. 

"Goodbye, Blade." 

Listing her head to the side, her curly brown hair tumbling over her shoulder, Blade only smiled. "Goodbye indeed." Her hand pulled back once again, and Serena's injured arm dropped from her wrist down to her own side. 

Again, the foe ceased her attack, this time her eyes widening drastically and a dried scream leaving her mouth. Serena squeezed her eyes shut, withdrawing her hand with the knife still in her palm. 

Blade looked down at her side, seeing warm blood drizzle over her bare skin. Her mouth was open and shocked as her hand dropped the other knife and came to hold itself over the skin. After a shocked moment, she sunk to the ground, tasting blood in her mouth. Her black eyes rose to Serena, shaking still against the wall. 

"H… how?" 

Sailor Moon bit her lip, gradually opening her eyes, glittering with tears unshed, and looked upon the dying woman. "You were distracted," she whimpered quietly. Never had she killed any youma so brutally, and her heart throbbed painfully within her chest. She could see a realization enter Blade's eyes, evidently remembering when she had been so stunned by Serena's words and strange movements, it would have been the perfect time for the girl to steel her weapon. 

Coughing, she hunched over, holding a hand to her chest, blood spilling from crimson lips. Serena cried, wanting to collapse beside her, but instead slowly inching away along the wall. 

"Wait…" her voice was dying, croaked out between gasping breaths. Slowly, Sailor Moon turned once again to see her prey. Blade reached for her knife, the one nearest her, and tightened her fingers over the handle. Serena watched on, no fear in her thoughts, knowing the lady was too weak to attack her. 

But when Blade looked up at her, the night black eyes were pleading, and Serena could only watch curiously until the woman had brought the knife and pointed it at her own heart. Her knuckles were white. 

Serena whimpered, turned, and fled sobbing through the nearest escape. Her mind replayed the past few moments, and imagined the final blow taking her life, before a lifeless corpse fell onto the forever-bloodstained marble floor. 

... 

She stumbled through the corridor, her right hand clutched tightly over her upper arm. Her exhausted eyes staying closed for long intervals, walking blindly through casual darkness. Chewing her lower lip, she paused, lifting heavy eyelids to look around at the glowing, eerie torches, seeing no end to their losing battle with the shadows. She groaned, leaning up against a wall and listening to her pained sobs echo off the walls. It must have been hours since she'd come here, teleported into the near forgotten snowstorms. Possibly even a day or more. She missed the vague warm comfort in her home, the warm comfort in his embrace or in their gossiping, cheery voices. 

Moaning agitatedly, she let her head hit the stone walls, rather painfully. Her neck was sore, bent down slightly. Her entire body was sore. Releasing her hand from her arm, she brought the bloody fingers in front of her, looking down on an open palm. The wound had nearly stopped secreting the maroon gore, now lying dry upon her satin glove. For a moment she considered changing into a mere human, just briefly, knowing that once she transformed again the mess would be gone and her outfit would once again be clean and in tact. But she dared not leave herself so open for attack, even for the shortest moment. Her eyes closed yet again, wishing the impounding headache away, letting her fingers shake. 

Drip. 

"Hm?" Slowly, Serena lifted her eyelids to see a clear water droplet create veins in the palm of her hand against the dark red background. 

Drip. 

Another, this one slithering down from her ring finger to mix with the other. She lifted her fingers to her nose, smelling no scents above the familiar aroma of blood. Furrowing her brow, she lifted her eyes upward, for the first time noticing a chain of rusted pipes above her head. There were four of them, all silver and rusted, especially the one directly above her, with a small slit through the pipe, occasionally letting a tiny droplet seep through. 

"Since when have those been there?" she mumbled to herself. Listening to the soft splash of water on the marble below, she let a tiny, insignificant smile lift her tired features. "Where there's water, there's civilization. Beryl's gotta be nearby." 

Using one arm to push herself away from the wall, she continued, trudging through the dark hallway, following the pipes as much as she could. She took notice of the few stairways, every turn, every minor change in her surroundings. Her knees seemed to become weaker with every step, but persistence in her mind strengthened them enough to make the next stride. Dull hums could be heard now, even bits of mumbling, like mechanical voices. For awhile she thought she heard the turning of squeaky wheels, and later her mind substituted running water with cheering crowds. 

The torches began to come more frequently, and larger, now held in shining bronze vases instead of the simple wooden holders. Every advance brought more hope, and dread into Sailor Moon's heart. Her eyes saw one fairly tall staircase in the distance and she walked toward it, stumbling toward the dark shadows above. She clutched at the wall as she began the ascent upward, pushing down on her knee with one hand as to push herself onward. Chewing her lip, she reached the top. 

Pausing, her eyes met the only thing in the dead end, the tiny chamber without any visible escape. 

"Oh God… not another one…" 

"Welcome, Sailor Moon." The blue-skinned fairy creature smiled evilly, her arms crossed over her chest, her back leaning up against the far wall. She had long, shining, golden hair, reaching to her knees, cascading over her shoulders. Unlike the others, her uniform was not a bikini, but still much too revealing, even for a bathing suit. With a one piece, but a large slit down the middle leaving little to the imagination. Again, she had the navy high heels and wrist cuffs, but on her upper arm she wore two thick golden arm bands, and on her forehead, paired with the stewardess wings, was a jeweled tiara with a single red stone glowing in the middle. Like two of the past enemies, dragonfly wings lowered down from hidden shoulder blades. 

Serena shook her head, closing her eyes momentarily to lift her hand up to her forehead, running fingers through her thick bangs. "Don't you people ever die?" 

"Don't you?" 

Her voice seemed to change instantly into the sounds of rushing water, like waves crashing on a beach and Serena had little time to look up before a great tsunami crashed into her, instantly knocking the balance from her feet. Her screams died in the water as she was pushed over the edge of the stairs. With the stinging knives of the ice cold liquid came the breaking hardness of the sharp-edged stairs. Her back collided with one and she could not breathe, even once the water had strung out beneath her body. 

She lay coughing at the base of the staircase, her body crumpled up like a fetus, one leg twisted on the upper stair while the rest lay shivering against the cold floor. Her hair was matted against her skin, streams of water invading her lungs as she choked desperately on the freezing air. Panting hard, she managed to look up. The fairy creature was no more than a shadow at the top of the stairs now, even her emotionless eyes blending with the darkness. 

Serena looked down for a minute, trying desperately to ignore the pain flowing through every vein in her body. Clenching her teeth, she clambered onto shaky legs, her right leg nearly giving out the second pressure was place upon it, and she knew it was broken. Her eyes could not hold back the built up tears no matter how hard she tried, but she ignored them, holding onto courage as long as she could. Her eyes lifted to the woman and managed a weak smile. 

"What? No introduction first?" 

She slowly began to strut down the stairs. "Well, well. You haven't spoken your spiel on love and justice either, now have you?" 

Serena spit on the ground suddenly, feeling the water grow to a fowl taste behind her lips, before raising her eyes once again to her opponent's. "I am Sailor Moon. The soldier of love and justice. And in the name of the moon, I will… AH!" 

Serena's screech died instantly as one freezing hand grasped around her neck. Two black eyes glared down on her with unkempt hatred. 

"I am Helada, the leader of the Doom and Gloom Girls. You have killed all four of my sisters, and for this, I will punish you!" 

Serena struggled against her grip as the bony fingers tightened below her jaw and air became scarce within her. Blue eyes closed as her hands reached up to wrap around her enemy's wrist, struggling blindly against the attacker. 

"Now…" hissed Helada's dangerous words. "To kill you quickly, or slow and painfully?" 

A forced scream died at Serena's lips as icy needles began to crawl over her neck and down past her shoulders. Her eyes widened again, looking into a black gaze with horror. Her entire body began to shiver, before becoming instantly numb against the sheet of ice that was growing down from Helada's fingers. She whimpered, sobbed, and cried some more, toiling against the frozen sculpture as it modeled over her body. She could feel the dead fingers crawling down her stomach, over her hips, down past her thighs. Soon, even her toes could not move within her red boots. The blanket of ice stopped at her jawbone, allowing her breath and thought, despite the fog rising from her lips, nearly turning to water drops before her, so heavy was the freezing temperatures. 

The woman finally released her hand, stepping back to look at the living ice sculpture in front of her, her own creation. 

"I think slow and painfully will do the trick. No mercy." Her tongue spat on the words, before a cackle erupted from her throat and she grinned sardonically at the tears freezing on Serena's paling cheeks. "Freeze or starve to death. We'll see which happens first." Her high laugh echoed away from Serena as the woman turned and walked past her. She could hear the clicking of her high heels against the floor, dying into quietness. 

Serena tried desperately to scream and cry, but her vocal cords only strangled her and very little thought was welcome to her mind. Though her body was numb, she could still feel bits of the ice like needles puncturing every inch of her skin. Her hair even felt heavy and she knew the tips were frozen as well, clinging to some covered skin she could not feel. Against the tears, she let her eyes close. 

_So this is the way I'll die._

The voice in her mind began whispering, switching from humiliating laughter to proud coaxing. She tried to ignore it, looking into the blank darkness her mind had become. This morning she had been so hopeful. She even remembered the words she had spoken to Darien before she had left. 

_But don't worry about me, alright? I'll be fine, really, a total cinch! I mean, really, how tough could this witch possibly be, after all? I'm Sailor Moon, for goodness sakes, and I will overcome all evil. Trust me on that one, haven't lost a battle yet! So you have no reason to be scared about me, that's all. I'll come back without so much as a scratch._

Irony throbbed against her skull. She hadn't even met the witch. She had been beaten by her henchmen. Darien… she'd lied. _Forgive me._

Her mind began to replay the last days she had spent with him. At the museum, the fountain, the park. Three times, she had promised him a million kisses. A promise she would break. Another tear froze against her skin. "For…give… me…" she managed to choke out in a whisper of a breath. She felt so tired, so incredibly weak. Never had she been so hopeless, not in any battle. 

_So this is the way I'll die._

Her imagination began to wonder what would Darien do if he was here. Throw a rose, break the fatal crystal shield around her? Hold her and kiss her until his own body heat melted it away? Her mind smiled, thinking of his kisses. He would kiss her tenderly at first, she knew. Running one finger along her cheek, over her jaw. Maybe cup her chin in his tender grasp, lifting her face upward. 

She sobbed, feeling his warmth covering her and wished he was there. He could melt it. 

One hand would travel through her hair, then press against the back of her neck momentarily as soft lips caressed hers. The palm would travel down her back, pressing her shivering body against his warm chest. One hand would rub against her arms, warming them with electric friction. 

Shivering, Serena could feel goose bumps crawl over her skin. She sniffled even, feeling more tears drip from her cheeks. Only if he was here… 

His lean body would move into hers, wrapping both arms around her to completely trap her in his embrace. Maybe his tongue would slide seductively into her open lips. Or maybe he would pull away and leave tiny butterfly kisses along her cheeks and neck. All the while his hands wandering over her thawing skin, heating her with love more effective than burning fire. 

"Darien…" she sobbed loudly, opening her eyes. When she saw nothing but the air before her, she let a wail rise up from her throat, before slumping completely, falling down to her knees, letting her hands collapse into a shallow puddle. 

"Huh?" she gasped, her eyes flying open quickly again. Stunned, she curled her fingers, looking around to see the puddle beneath her, and her entire body free. Free. 

She remained there for a long time on her hands and knees, wondering what had happened, still vaguely feeling the hands and kisses of her one true love on her. Eventually, she pushed back to sit on her ankles, gulping roughly. "Enough of this." Clambering onto her feet, she held back a screech as pain seared through her right leg and she remembered falling down the stairs, what seemed to be hours ago. Biting back tears, she turned and began stomping, quietly, down the hallway. She followed a path of water, quickly and always silent, until after one turn, she saw a gold waterfall of hair retreating from her, walking proudly. 

Serena glared her eyes, tightening her fists and bracing against the pain. Taking extra precautions to be silent, she proceeded toward Helada. Once at a close distance, she froze. "No mercy," she whispered, loud enough so that the woman would hear her. She paused, instantly, before swiveling around. 

"What the…?" The second the words escaped the ruby lips did Helada scream as a golden, sharp-edged discus came hurling toward her, slashing one arm. She groaned, collapsing to the ground with her hand covering the bleeding wound. Serena twitched two fingers and the tiara flew back, this time hitting the woman in the center of her back. A pained screech sliced through the dead silence, until she fell forward, landing on her face. The floor around her became dark with blood and Serena gulped, not able to remove her eyes from the dead woman now lying before her. She stood silently for what seemed to be hours, simply staring down at the motionless body, before swallowing and letting her head fall down to her chest. 

Not raising her eyes, she walked around the body, marching with agonizing slowness down the hall that Helada had recently been traveling along. Her shoulders were bent, her neck craned, her eyes shut. After a period of time where all the world seemed dead, she stopped. Just stopped. 

In the center of the hallway, Serena let her shaking knees and her broken leg give way, collapsing to the floor. Barriers of strength broke and her body curled into a tiny ball on the cold stone. She felt broken. Not her body, not her heart. Just, SHE. She was broken. 

... 

"She has killed all of the Doom and Gloom Girls, your majesty. Though she is very weak now." 

"All of them? I didn't think they were so feeble." 

"They nearly succeeded in finishing her off. Really, a child could kill her now. She must be hanging onto life by a mere thread. It is a miracle she has survived at all." 

Red fingernails, jagged and long like knives, scratched at the dull wood on the arm of her chair. "Bring her to me. Now." 


	7. Promises Made To Be Broken

A Million Kisses - Chapter Seven  
Alicia Blade 

...

May 2005 ANs:

So, I was having SUCH a bad day today, but then I finally got around to checking my email and had over 30 reviews for this and other stories! And it totally brought my mood up and I wanted to say THANK YOU and I appreciate you all so much! 

And, here is the end. I hope it lives up to all expectations! Please continue to read my future stuff, and please keep the reviews coming! xoxo 

...

Original ANs: 

This one is in thanks to Stormlight, Lady S, Athena, and Ms. Sailor Blue Moon. Tee hee… love you all! 

_ "Behold, I show you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed."_  
I Corinthians 15:51-52 

Chapter Seven  
Promises Made to be Broken

Serena put up no fight when the two claw-like hands grabbed onto her arm. Nor did she flinch when slimy palms gripped her other shoulder. In truth, she hardly even noticed. 

Only when she was lifted unceremoniously to her feet and being suddenly dragged roughly down the corridor did she even bother to open her sleepless eyes. A moan left her lips, the only sign telling the captors she was alive. Possibly, she would have tried to escape them, if her limbs had been working at all. But they would not move and so she simply let her body hang limp between the two creatures, whatever they may be, as she was pulled through hall after hall. Her head hung down to her chest, blood-laden hair clinging around her ears and forehead. At one point she thought she could feel a soft poking in her rib, but when she continually ignored it (actually straining to figure out if it was a hallucination or not) the taunts stopped. Chattering could be heard from her holders now, speaking unearthly languages in mocking tones. Her mind, dull and aching, shoved the sounds to the back of her thoughts. No longer did anything seem to matter. Not much, at least. 

Soon, she found the temperatures dropping, and the steps of those beside her slowing. The chitchat stopped and she thought she heard the moans and creeks of a large metal door. Seconds after was she led into a room, smelling of corpses and blood and everything rotten. The musty air pulsed around her, chilling her limbs, yet burning her lungs, and she strained for the energy to cough. The pathetic sounds came out more like choking. Still moving, she heard gasps, snickers, fearful calls and amused laughter from a large crowd. She dared not look up, terrified at what beasts might surround her. 

Then, they stopped moving. Her head remained hanging, her mouth parted slightly as a tiny drop of blood pushed out from between her lips. 

"Leave her there." 

That voice. Instantly, thousands of spiders were crawling over Serena's spine and she trembled from the core to the surface, icy fingers strangling her throat with fear of the hissing, demonic voice. 

Moments later, she was dropped to the floor, the claws and scales leaving her. She hit the ground painfully, but immune to the hurt. She could not even produce a whimper. Lying on her side, in a fetus position, she slowly allowed her eyes to open. It took some time for them to focus, drifting in and out of colors. Black. White. Blood red. 

When they could draw images in her mind for brief intervals, they were met with a gaze blacker than summer midnights, colder than the snow outside. The stare was surrounded with pale skin, a clear complexion, and a mane of flaming red hair. A long, slender neck curved into thin shoulders, a voluptuous body covered with only a skin-tight lavender dress at the bust line. Long red fingernails pointed sardonically in the direction of a shimmering ball before the woman. 

"Welcome, Sailor Moon." The voice was more horrible than Serena fished from her memory of moments ago, the exact kind of sound one would have expected coming from the tight ruby lips. "I see my henchmen found you… not so well…" Turning the thin mouth into an awkward smile that did not fit her, the woman moved her left hand aside in a fluid motion and, upon command, the ball floated away to her side. Serena, her heart shaking, seemingly the only movement within her body, closed her eyes, letting her head fall to the ground in a soft crash with the tile floor. 

A laugh, mocking and heroic, sounded in her ears, and she flinched at the hideous sound, not wanting to look up at the same grotesque eyes in an almost fair face. 

"Why, it seems that I have already won this battle if you won't so much as look up at me now…" she taunted, and Serena heard her heels clacking against the stone floor as she stood to walk toward her prey. "You won't stand and fight me, Princess? How sad… and to think that such a wimp as yourself killed all five Doom and Gloom Girls, without so much as lifting the Silver Crystal. I should have known they would be so weak…" Her voice, raspy and taunting, echoed off the walls as the audience, invisible in the dark, snickered. "Get up!" she suddenly commanded, and Serena felt a surge of pain in her side as the hard tip of a pointed shoe dug into her waist. She whimpered, curling herself into a protective ball. "Get up, brat! This will be no fun for me to kill you otherwise…" Serena only gritted her teeth, pushing her eyelids together so hard that an incessant headache began to tap at her temples, forcing up another sob from her dried throat. Even THAT stung. 

"You call yourself a defender of justice, protector of love, when I, the sole queen of evil can kill you now with a wave of my wrist. What a pathetic target. I should have known you would be simple prey. How could I have thought any more of you? Now, get up or I shall finish you where you lay, and forever shall you be known as a failure, who could not stand to die with dignity. And all your loves shall perish due to your incompetence." She paused, and Serena lowered her head as much as she could, knowing shame was claiming her mind. It was true. The others would suffer due to her mistakes. No one would be safe from this villain, and it would be her fault. And yet, even with the knowledge of such happenings, the power and strength she should have felt never came. She could not stand. She could not avenge her friends, her family, or her love. She was helpless. 

_I'm sorry,_ she thought as a cackle erupted from the lips of her captor. 

"You have made your choice, oh your majesty." Her tone, mocking, died into a whisper. "And now goodnight. Never shall I have to deal with your nuisances again." 

A ball of hissing purple smoke collected at Beryl's fingertips, sizzling amidst her palm, dying into the air around it as heat pooled together at its nucleus. Serena slammed her eyes shut and waited, listening to the electric waves grow louder and louder, thundering in her eardrums. It wouldn't stop, creating yet another pain in her head, echoing in walls within her mind. The silence of death seemed welcome, losing fear she wished she would feel with the thought. Peace in death. What was so awful about that? Without looking up, Serena knew the hideous weapon was about to fall upon her. 

_Zzziiiiinnngg!_

"What the?" Immediately, all cackling was gone and Serena, fearful, almost disappointed, opened her eyes. 

Her sight was met with a single, blood red rose. 

Her gaze widened, and through the pain and stiffness of her muscles, she tilted her neck upward to look in the same direction as Beryl. 

Three girls, sailors suited like her, in red, blue, and orange, stood together on the other end of the large ballroom. Serena's lips dried with a gasp and she ignored all pain to stare at them, her mind struggling to remember how she knew them, and upon remembering, not taking the pains to figure out how they had gotten here. How they had become who days ago they had never heard of. 

"What?" raged the violet queen, holding up a fist. "How did they get in here? Guards!" 

"What guards? Oh, you mean these troll thingies?" came a deep but feminine voice, and from the corner Serena recognized a forest-green fuku, the girl inside it dropping a badly beaten goblin onto the marble floor. 

"Game's over, Beryl!" screamed Jupiter, kicking the helpless creature away. 

"We are destined to protect our princess," triumphed Venus. 

"Even if we DID just remember a few moments ago," added Mercury. 

"And now, we shall defeat you and your kingdom!" yelled Mars. Seconds after the words left her lips, did she continue, "Get Serena out of the way so we can attack freely!" 

And then, their chants drummed into one call, drawing upon powers of fire, lighting, ice, and even love. The four teenagers began to glow different colors, energy flowing through them. 

Still confused, though feeling awkwardly safe in this castle of horror, Serena let her head fall to the ground and her eyes close. The last thing she sensed was a pair of arms beneath her and a strong chest against her head as she was carried quickly to safety. 

... 

A scream woke her up. A piercing, howling, bloody scream… that nearly provoked a smile. She let her eyes hang closed, listening to different sounds of war and battle. Metal clashing with metal, sounds of death, dying, horror. She smelled the familiar scent of blood in the air, this time though, she knew it wasn't only her own. Finally, she raised eyelids to peer through blurred darkness, watching the scene as best she could from her spot on the hard floor. 

Beryl was standing back near her throne, her hands clutched around a red rose buried in her chest. It had been her scream that had awoken the weak warrior. 

The scouts were trying to fight through a crowd of youma and henchman, killing them rather easily, though moving nowhere fast. Amy was standing back after having just released a thick fog, using her computer in an attempt to find easier means of attacking. Raye was throwing down her anti-evil wards almost as fast as the monsters could block them. Lita was the most forward, throwing punches and kicks in every direction, quickly taking down two or three enemies at a time, all the while cradling her left arm protectively against her chest. Serena wondered momentarily if it was broken. The last scout, Mina, was using her crescent beam to knock down multitudes at a time, but with so many targets, it only stunned them rather than finish them off completely.

On the other hand, one fighter had gotten past the army of the queen's protectors. Tuxedo Mask, his cape torn and ripped, his hat missing, his hair damp with sweat, stood in the center of the circle of battle, fighting the evil villainous with everything in him. Serena could see blurs of purple and black, peering through the legs and weapons of the creatures that otherwise obstructed her view. 

Lips drying, she propped herself up on her elbow, her head dodging from side to side, trying to gain a better view of the prominent battle. She wondered how Darien had gotten through to the source of the evil while the girls were having such a hard time coming near. Never in any fight had he shown such skill. Could he possibly be even more powerful than her other protectors? 

Blinking, Serena looked down, finding her head starting to spin with the constant commotion. She looked down at her body. Her left leg and both arms were wrapped with shreds of black silk, obviously the best bandage Tuxedo Mask could find, from his own cape. Most of the pain had faded away, and yet her entire body was pounding with some kind of hurt akin to a numbed throbbing. 

After rubbing at her temples for some time, she turned her head once again to look up at her friends, allies, as well as her adversaries. The battle was continuing on, chaos and horror jumping out from every corner. 

Then, things began to change. At first slowly, she saw more youma falling. The scouts were beginning to take down 3, 4, 5 at a time. They would scream occasionally, letting a high-pitched wail loose to go unnoticed by the others occupying the nearness. Serena watched, constantly reminding herself to breathe, watching the enemy being destroyed. With a sudden instance, they were falling even faster now, and in what seemed to be a moment of death, they were gone. Weakened, destroyed, the creatures of evil collapsed onto the floor, dying at the feet of their teenage attackers. Serena made no move as one landed but a foot away from her hand, its black eyes open as a last flame of life within died to a flicker, extinguished. 

The army, the audience, was gone. Almost instantaneously, the tables turned and only the queen was left to guard her castle. 

Stunned, Serena let her eyes travel upward. Victorious stood the four girls, breathing hard but with straight backs. They were facing toward the center, their eyes locked on the fight between Tuxedo Mask and the sole purpose for their invasion of the dark kingdom. The battle was moving nowhere, neither winning, losing, gaining any headway. Beryl had pried a recent rose from her gut, holding one hand over her stomach, and yet continually calling upon power from some other force. Tuxedo Mask, on the other hand, was tired and yet had not taken a single blow. It was too balanced. 

Venus, standing furthest from Sailor Moon, their recovered leader, was the first to turn to face her. Their blue eyes clashed, and Serena let her firm composure soften to relief. However, Mina's eyes did not replay the emotion. Instead, they looked remorseful, full of regret. Gulping, she pursed her lips together and with a small tilt of her head, fell to the ground. Her legs simply collapsed beneath her, her arms making no move to brace her fall as she landed on top of a troll's body. 

Serena gasped, her eyes widening as every muscle in her body tensed. Managing to pry her gaze away from the fallen blonde, she turned to see the other three staring at her with the same solemn expression. She held back a sob, biting her lip until she could taste blood. The second warmness dripped onto her tongue, they fell. One at a time, with Amy losing last. She coughed twice when her small form hit the ground, her head rolling over to the side. Shaking, Serena let her jaw tremble, quickly crawling over to the blue-haired beauty. She ignored the incessant tears, now feeling she was full of them instead of nearly having run dry hours ago. 

"Amy! Amy!" she called, bringing her friend's head to rest in her lap. She stroked fingers along the short bangs, bending over the form as if to protect her. Saving one might save them all, she wondered that she might believe that. 

The girl did not stir, however Serena did manage to find a faint pulse. As soon as she did this, her head was buried in Amy's chest, holding the teenager as close as she could in weakening arms. Her name escaped a few times, but not much else was heard above the grunts of a two-person battle overhead. 

It was a short time later when the tears ceased to fall from Serena's eyes and she inhaled a sharp breath, craning her neck to look upward. Tuxedo Mask was even weaker now, her dear prince couldn't stand for much longer, she knew. It was a miracle he had lasted this long against the witch. 

Not daring to look down upon the faces of her friends, Serena pushed herself onto her legs, locking her knees in place and glaring hatefully with eyes only for the fiery-haired demon. "Stop!" she commanded, her eyes blazing, knuckles growing white at her sides. The battle froze from shock and Tuxedo Mask twirled around, his eyes widening beneath the mask to see his love standing. 

"Serena… you're awake…" he muttered, relief washing through his body. 

"Thanks for everything, Tuxedo Mask, but I think I can take it from here. I'll kill her once and for all," she stated seriously. All the while she desperately wanted to look up at him but was terrified that with a look in his eye, she would want him to protect her. She would desire only to be wrapped in the shredded cape and flown away from this hellhole. And so her gaze remained attached to the woman past him. Darien at first made no move to speak, but slowly, he let out a breath into the cold air. 

"How about we defeat her together, Princess?" 

"That won't be happening!" hissed a voice from red lips. As the voice died into an echo, it was followed by a groan of anguish from the man clad in black. Serena's eyes widened, watching him fall to the ground in confusion. Her breath caught. Composure disappeared with a look upon his back, now hunched over on the floor. 

She screamed, flying toward him with graceful movements and falling to her knees. Her arms wrapped around his back, willing away the image of a black crystal protruding from between his shoulder blades. She began to chant the simple word _no_ in the back of her throat, shaking her head as his body shook in her embrace. 

"S…Serena…" Her eyes lifted to see fake assurance in his gaze. "I'll be… fi…ne…" He gritted his teeth momentarily, his eyes blinking in and out of focus. He took a struggling gulp, then clenched his fists together. "Don't… worry. Beryl… we have to… kill…" Without ending his sentence, he began to curl his legs beneath him and before Serena knew what he was thinking, the man was placing pressure onto his feet and pushing himself to a stand. 

She gasped, grabbing roughly onto his shoulders. He flinched, their eyes meeting. "No, Darien, you need to rest. I'll kill her. I promise I'll kill her. But if I lose you… then I've lost everything." He seemed uncertain, their eyes battling within each other, caught within a slow second, until his gaze softened, possibly with pain, and again he fell to the floor, too weak to stand longer. Serena looked down at him, kneeling at her feet. He nodded, his shoulders relaxing. 

"Alright, I have faith in you." 

She didn't bend down to whisper the three words echoing in her thoughts, or to give him a kiss. There would be time for that later, she told herself. Looking up, her gaze turned to ice as it fell upon the queen, already preparing another crystal. 

"That's it, Beryl. It's over!" 

"I'm sure it is." 

Her voice had somehow, miraculously gotten even colder, quieter, and then she began to change. The queen grew taller, her dress changing to a cool ice blue, her nails extending even longer from the bony fingers. Continually growing, her bloody hair raised on its ends, creating a crown of fire sitting upon her pale skin. Her eyes became darker than the blackest night; her lips strung out to a thin frown. Serena tried to keep the fear and shock from her eyes, but found it impossible, for soon the woman was towering fifty feet above her. Gritting her teeth, she stumbled back a few paces, willing her heart to cease its rapid thunder. 

After the metamorphosis had completed, Beryl smiled demonically. "It is truly over, Sailor Moon." 

Serena inhaled sharply, bracing her arms in front of her chest and lowering her head to glare up through golden bangs. Beryl's eyes flinched together, her long nails digging into the fleshiness of her palm. A gray smoke sizzled up from hidden fingertips, suddenly bursting into a metallic violet fire. The flames licked at the cold air. 

Gulping, the girl felt her sudden tenseness fade away, her courage simmering down. With newfound worry, her body began to move backwards, unwilling to her heart. She stretched her calves back, moving away with uncertainty as the fire grew higher into the air, nearly matching the witch's new height. 

But the click of her heel against a soft body made her freeze mid-escape. Her body become unmoving momentarily, not able to sense movement in the form she had backed into. Fallen, dying if not dead. She could feel tears welling up, one even managed to slip from the corners. Unconsciously, her fingers began toying with a strip of silky cloth around her arm. He had protected her… why did she continually keep herself from doing the same? 

A horrid screech stole her thoughts into reality and she could feel unbearable heat coming closer by the second. She needn't look up to know the treacherous queen had finally cast the evil flames at her. Her eyes did raise and instantly her sight was covered in a royal purple, like to cover the setting twilight. And the flames tasted her skin, burning into her every pore, searing every nerve. She didn't believe that she ever screamed until it was too late and the entire force overtook her body. She was rendered motionless, listening only to her own shrieks of pain. 

How quickly the heat burned down to a soothing aloe. In a turn of time, she suddenly felt as if she was swimming in a pool of cold water, wet salt washing over her skin. Her eyes, closed already, perceived a light filtering through the silent hissing. 

"My daughter…" 

Her imagination could not have been quieter. Lower than inaudible, a whisper shouting into the ear of her mind. "I am so proud of you. Do not give up…" 

"Mo…ther…" 

"Serenity, you are in my heart." 

When she opened her eyes, there was neither cooling water nor seething sparks. A case of ice, of crystal, surrounded her. Her lips dried while her eyes moistened, and shaky fingers reached up to brush against a locket on her chest. It trembled beneath her fingers. 

The encasement filled with white, blinding her, and when once again everything had silenced, she found herself soothing down the skirt of a white chiffon dress, bordered in gold trim. Inside, she felt weak and hopeless, but this sudden power covering her brought her out of herself and a power unknown to her took complete control of her body. Blue eyes stared directly ahead as her right hand slowly raised up palm outward. With a thought, a crack shot down the center of the icy confines and, like shattering porcelain, it split into sheers of ice, cascading down the walls of the platform she stood upon. 

Beryl's proud smile died instantly and she looked into the eyes of the strangely calm princess beneath her. "What have we here?" she mumbled to herself. 

"As you've said, Queen Beryl, it is truly over." 

With the silver gem nicely protected in the palms of her hands, Serena raised her arms forward, aiming it at the villain before her. "For all that you've done, I will never forgive you." 

The same warm light barreled over her. The witch had only a moment's notice to prepare an attack, a weak one, before shooting it forward to counteract the effects of the overpowering silver crystal. She gritted her teeth, curving her back to push the liquid ink magic further, in vain. Pain must have seethed through her body when the white contacted skin, but she continued to fight it, curling her fingers under and stretching her arms to their fullest. 

Serena continued to watch on from behind emotionless eyes, waiting for the crystal to finish killing the woman so that she could once again become weak and helpless. She missed it. 

From far away she vaguely thought she could hear the coaxing voices of her friends. Breezes amidst the engulfing heat tempted her touch to theirs. 

Closing her eyes, she waited patiently. 

With one last shriek above, the crystal's waves ceased to pour over her. Licking her lips, Serena brought her hands down to her sides. Her breath inhaled a smoky scent, like cigarettes, and she gathered the strength to cough. It turned to choking somewhere along the line. Letting her eyelids drift open, she watched as the final twirls of smoke drifted into the white horizon. Her chest collapsed, her lips curling into a sullen pout. With her grip weakening, she felt the cold, lifeless stone slip between her fingers. 

The crystal clattered down somewhere into the valley beneath her. She listened to it, feeling no loss as its descent silenced. 

Turning on her heels, she looked over a glistening white field. The palace must have disappeared while she was trapped in the glass chamber, along with the henchmen belonging to the deceased Beryl. 

Now, five forms lay dead on the packed snowed. 

With the first snowflake of an incoming storm falling onto her nose, Serena allowed her gaze to caress her fallen loves, holding them protectively in her stare. 

She fell to her knees, body and heart numbing in the approaching winds. They came to blow away the hurt: unsuccessfully. 

... 

_Two Weeks Later_

"Serena, if you're going to go outside, will you please take a jacket with you? You're going to catch your death of cold…" 

The girl shrugged carelessly, sliding her shoes onto her feet in the hallway, her head bent, distraught pigtails scratching the back of her unused school outfit. Ilene sighed, setting down her water and walking over to her daughter quietly. 

"Darling… hon, you haven't spoken nearly a word for two weeks now. Won't you ever tell me what's bothering you? Please… It isn't good to keep these things bottled up inside…" The softness of her voice did not effect the blonde and the gentle hand on her shoulder was quickly shaken off. 

"Don't worry about me, Mom." 

Jacket-less, Serena strolled slowly out of the small home into the air, turning quickly into autumn. Ilene watched the door slam shut, her heart shaking within her chest. "Oh, my baby girl, how can I not worry about you?" 

... 

Wandering through the streets of Tokyo at the coming of sunset may seem dangerous to any person without a death wish. But to a person with one… the feat is nothing but pleasant. A painful, masochistic kind of pleasant. And so, the recent warrior traveled her daily routine through the streets as the sunrays and moonbeams mixed together and the first orange street lamps flickered on over the sidewalks. Goose bumps would crawl over her skin, only to be ignored, blue eyes watching aimlessly as her feet carefully avoided the cracks in the sidewalk. 

It was nice out here in the brisk evening air, more so than inside a stuffy house, heated with artificial warmth. Much more realistic, she mused silently. And on a nightly travel to a sacred park, Serena would think of nothing but tear after empty tear splashing unnoticed onto the sidewalk, maybe between the cracks she avoided so carefully. She found it impossible to ignore painful memories with her mother's constant questions and concerns. Though her heart was in the right place, it didn't help. 

And her bedroom… the most awful of all places on Earth. She would have rather been at the North Pole than stuck in that square apartment that evidently belonged to her. At least in the snow she could be with him… But while sleeping in her bed, cold from the heat, she would attempt to sleep for hours. And when finally the calmness would replace restlessness, dreams of her friends, of her Endymion, would haunt her. 

Wonderful dreams… where they would laugh and play and sing… she could feel kisses and hugs. She could talk to them… The dreams are not what irked her. But when she woke… everything built in sleep would vanish. It was a terrible nightmare, relived nightly… 

With no more tears, at least that she could feel, she found herself at the end of the trail. At the white marble fountain surrounded by a green field, turning gray with the approaching dark. Her lips parted with a deep breath, looking up at the statue, the cool water cascading down upon thousands of silver and copper coins. If she had one, she would have tossed it in by now. She knew her wish already. But her skirt did not have pockets and heeded no change. 

Slowly, Serena climbed onto the bench of the fountain, kneeling before it so that she could look into her reflection upon the waves. Her head listed to the side, seeing plain, dull features surrounded by un-brushed, golden hair. A pause and her body became weak. 

Stretching her arms out to the right to balance on the stone, she lowered herself onto the smooth surface. Curling up against the marble, her eyes became mesmerized by the laughing waterfall. The cold air tossed her bangs about gently and a chill ran through her body, but was ignored. Tucking her elbow beneath her head, Serena fell asleep. For the first time in weeks, however, it was not by tears. 

... 

"Don't peek!" 

"But Mina…" 

"We're almost there, Sere, just be patient." 

"But I can't see a thing!" 

"That's the point, Meatball Head." 

"Ha, ha, very funny Raye!" 

"It's just down this hall, Princess." 

A sigh echoed down the hallway, silent save the clacking of high heels. Serenity bit her lip anxiously, resisting the urge to scratch at the blindfold, for fear that Raye would accuse her of peeking. Mina was latched onto one arm, guiding her down the crystal palace walls secretively while the fiery princess of Mars stood off to her right, chatting on about Jadeite every time Serena wasn't complaining about her sightless predicament. 

_Jadeite… protector to Endymion…_

A giggle left Serenity's lips, picturing her lover from Earth. It had been months since she had seen him last and though the thought of him still made her giddy and warm inside, it also brought a sense of longing. She missed him so… 

"Okay, we're here," taunted Venus, pulling open a large door. Serenity straightened, her arms tensing in readiness to dash to the restriction above her eyelids. She felt Raye behind her, her arms on either side of her shoulder, pushing her into the room. She tried desperately to calm the whirring of her thoughts and listen for her cue. 

"Ready… now!" 

Whisking the scarf off from her eyes, Serena saw the room light up in candles and decorations. 

"SURPRISE!" 

The cheerful call echoed from all around the room, permitting a squeal from the blonde teenager. Her hand clasped to her chest, still holding the blindfold in hand, as her blue eyes danced over the occupants of the room. All of her family was there, all the royal guests that often came to balls and parties. Her closest friends, the servants, everyone was cheering madly. Their happiness quickly struck up a smile and Serenity laughed in delight. 

"Happy birthday to you!" began the singing of a blue-haired girl in the front of the crowd. "Happy birthday to you!" joined the others and they all began to chant loudly. Soon, the giant crowd parted to reveal four handsome men carrying a large, six layer cake with sugared flowers and colorful frosting. Immediately, she recognized them as none other than the four generals… protectors to… Endymion… "Happy birthday, Princess Serenity…" 

But then, if they were here, where was… 

The singing quieted down, until one deep, melodious voice could be heard behind her. 

"Happy birthday, my love…" 

A quick intake of breath sent her head spinning. Or maybe it was the sound of his voice. Yes, that was more likely. Twirling on her toes, she came to face a daring smile upon tan skin. Satin black hair and striking cerulean eyes. 

Unsuccessfully fighting back tears, Serenity managed to whisper at the tip of her tongue. "Endy…" Then, with her heart pounding mercilessly, she threw herself at him, burying a shaky body in his embrace, which he accepted instantaneously. "You came back…" 

"Of course, my sweet. I told you I would always come back to you." 

With a tender finger, he lifted her chin, letting their loving gazes clash before lowering his lips upon hers. She melted against him, putting up no protection to the light ravishing of his kisses. 

"Aw…" sighed Lita from somewhere in the crowd. "How sweet… Now break 'em up and let's eat!" 

... 

She giggled, tensing at the feel of his kisses against the base of her neck. "Endy, that tickles…" she laughed, squirming beneath him. She heard him chuckle as well, lifting his head to grin at her adoringly. 

"That was the idea, Sere…" 

She only rolled her eyes, bending forward to nip at his nose. "You deserved that." 

Laughing, he rolled back to his side, propping his head up on one arm to gaze at her from the side. Her eyes followed his, the piles of long golden hair billowing beneath her on the soft grass. It was nightfall on the moon, with the Earth glowing far in the distance, framed by dozens of glittering stars. Two lovers lay side by side in the lily garden, next to the single rose bush that Endy had planted the first time his royalty had arrived on this satellite. It was, of course, Serenity's favorite flower now. 

"Thank you for coming, Endymion. I'm sure you've been busy… but this was the best birthday present I could have possibly gotten." 

"I know, and I was thrilled when my father told me it would be alright if I came up for this week. It won't be a long stay, but I plan on making the best of it. Besides… it's torture when I can't be with you." 

"I share the feeling exactly!" she muttered, focusing her gaze on a blue sphere in the sky. 

"But it won't always be like this. Someday, we'll be married, and then we can live together and rule the moon and the earth, side by side, forever." This tempted a smile on the princess's lips and her eyelids drifted close. 

"I can't wait." 

"Neither can I." 

She was greeted by a tender touch on the lips and opened her eyes just as he pulled away, able to look up into a loving stare. Whispering his name, she brushed a stray of ebony hair from his forehead, tucking it behind his ear to watch it immediately fall back into his face. She giggled. "It will never stay put." 

"I like it that way." 

"Well I'm glad somebody does." 

He chuckled, bending down once more to brush his lips against the glowing crescent moon on her forehead. It brightened momentarily before dying once more into a subtle birthmark. "I missed you so much." 

"Me too. But you did come back, as promised." 

"Yes. And I promise again that whenever I leave you, I will return. We can't be kept apart forever. Fate isn't that hateful." 

"Alright, I accept your promise. But I expect you to stick to it." 

"I should hope so." 

"Hm…" Serenity's eyes closed, her body relaxing into the soft greenery. "I was thinking…" 

"Sere, thinking? Call the cops," he taunted. 

Her eyes opened to stare up at him in confusion. "What are 'the cops'?" 

He returned the stare silently before bursting into laughter. "Never mind, Love. What have you been thinking?" 

She shrugged off the comment and resorted back to her intense gaze at the sky. "I want to promise you something now, as well." 

Endymion sat back a little, chewing on his lip. "Alright. How about… your unconditional love as long as we both shall live?" 

"You already have that!" She giggled, watching a smile spread on his masculine features. 

"Just making sure I hadn't lost it yet," he teased with a wink. 

She grinned, soon finding herself being pulled into his arms, both lying on their sides now, wrapped into each other. Willingly, her head rested against his shoulder, letting his arms support her in their hold. A long quiet seduced them as her thoughts drifted over every aspect of this man that had forced her into love with him. She never did stand a chance. 

"Kisses," she called suddenly, breaking from his grasp enough to look into his face. He seemed flustered for a minute before his brow creased. 

"What about them?" 

"I want to promise you kisses! A thousand, no, a million!" 

He blinked in confusion, tilting his head to the side. "Sweet kisses or passionate kisses?" 

"Both! And only the ones on the lips count!" 

His eyebrow perked up, quickly followed by a large smile. "Sounds good to me," he whispered, pushing her onto her back once more. 

"Great, then as long as you always come back to me, you can have as many kisses as you like!" 

"And I promise that I will always return to my lovely princess." She smiled happily, closing her eyes contentedly. He soon continued in a husky whisper, "So, then… what do you say we start right now?" 

Serenity giggled, a blush beginning to tint her cheeks. Tying dainty arms over his shoulders, she kept to her promise, starting with the number one. 

... 

The air surrounding her was colder than she would have hoped to wake up to. This time with no blanket, no flannel pajamas to keep her warm. She sighed, sniffled a few times, willing her mind to go back to sleep before waking to another day she should not have to live. 

The water from the fountain was loud in her ears, sloshing down into the pool below. A cool mist reached to her body with a small breeze, causing more chills down her nerves. With a groan, she finally lifted her eyelids, staring blankly into the silver waves falling down not quite at arm's reach. Her heart ached with remembrance of the dream. 

"I suppose we both broke our promises... Didn't we, Endy?" she whispered, bunching the material of her wrinkled blouse in her fist. Her head rolled over to stare at the stars, making a dull note of the glowing moon in the distance. So pure and innocent. That's where the memories had occurred. Still, this fountain held special moments from the past as well. A sob stole her from the thoughts and she quickly rubbed at her eyes before they could begin to water again. 

Propping her body up on her arm, she sat staring into the water for some time, listening to the laughter of weeks before fill the night air. It had been a night like this one, only he had been with her then. 

Sniffling, her head collapsed down to her chest, shaking the bangs slightly against her skin. "Darien…" she cried brokenly, reveling in the tears that began to fall again, sinking into the clear, untainted water. "Oh, Darien…" 

"Yes, my dear?" A tender touch of fingertips against her back made her yelp, jerking to a position as stiff and still as the statue itself. She stopped crying. Her eyes turning to wide orbs within her face, her lips running dry, she felt her body begin to shake. The fingers stroked against the collar of her shirt, tickling the back of her neck. Soon they were joined by another hand, rubbing against her upper arm softly. 

"Have you been crying?" his voice whispered against her ear, deep and sincere, and real. 

Her sight blurred, Serena whisked herself around, grabbing at the edge of the marble bench to stare up into two grinning, mischievous eyes. Breathing heavily, she let one hand come up to touch his cheek, shaking mercilessly. A breath left her at once at the feel of his skin. Warm, alive… he was here. And it was no longer a dream. She was on Earth. She was Serena. And he was here. 

"Da-Darien…" she choked, her lips trembling with every syllable. His smile spread wider and he lowered himself to his knees before her, bringing himself to eye level. 

"It's me, Serena. You can breathe again." 

Gasping on a cough, almost a laugh, she felt new tears welling behind her eyelids. These tears were warm, freeing. 

"But… you… I thought…" 

"I know," he whispered, wrapping his arms carefully around her waist. "But it doesn't matter anymore. I'm here. And so are the girls. You'll see them tomorrow, I'm sure." 

Both her hands reached to cup his face in hers, trying so hard to believe. "And… do you… remember…?" 

"Everything. I remember everything. Including the three individual times I fell in love with you, utterly and completely." 

And she smiled. It hurt some; she had not felt a smile for many days now, but she did smile. One that would always caress her lips, she prayed. The tears coming incessantly again, she whispered his name once more before lowering herself into his hold, wrapping her arms around his neck and letting all her worries and fears dissipate with his comforting embrace. 

"But… how…?" 

He chuckled. "I honestly don't know. I just… woke up this morning… remembering everything that had happened. I've been looking for you all day, you know." 

"I thought I'd lost you forever…" 

"But you didn't. You could never get rid of me that easily. Besides… I believe you owe me something. A million somethings, to be exact." 

Slowly, she raised her head to look into his glowing eyes. Eventually, a soft, loving smile spread over her swollen lips. "I thought we were at nine-hundred-thousand something now." 

"I lost count," he said with a wink, resting his forehead on top of hers. "So I just thought we could start from the top again. If… you don't mind, that is." 

With a flushed pink face and salt streaks left on her cheeks, Serena shook her head. Her eyes closed on instinct. "I don't mind." 

"Good…" he said, almost inaudibly. Bringing their lips together, he touched her with a tender kiss, like butterfly wings caressing her. "Because I love you, sweet Serena. Meatball Head. Oh, and of course, the majestic Princess Serenity." 

She giggled, pressing their lips together more powerfully, aching to taste him as much as he longed to lose himself in her. 

And so, trapped in their embraces, they hung onto the night air for hours, tasting, tempting, but neither feeling the dull sense of longing and loneliness. The sun came up eventually to find them side by side, kisses dancing with sighs and promises of love. That night they began their count down. 

With an eternity to kill, a person who plays his cards right can reach past many more than a million. Both young lovers planned on taking advantage of that. 

Besides, these promises never were made to be broken. 

The End. 

God bless you, minna-chan! 

Love,  
Alicia 


End file.
